Darkness Skills - 2

It was perfect, almost flawless—but not as powerful as the technique Astharoth wielded. In the legendary Battle of Light and Darkness, Astharoth used a similar sword technique, though it wasn't named, as gods didn't need defined techniques.

Their power came from pure mastery over their elements, allowing them to bend reality at will. Astharoth had demonstrated this during his betrayal, using Elementalization—a state in which gods become invincible, merging entirely with their element.

However, even this invincibility had a flaw. Elementalization, like everything in the universe, had a weakness: its opposing element. Darkness's opposite was Light. You might think that Elara, a wielder of Light, could have easily defeated Astharoth, but the truth was more complex.

Darkness, in many ways, has an advantage—it swallows and consumes all, much like a black hole swallowing the sun rays, overwhelming even Light itself. That's why Elara couldn't gain the upper hand despite her power.

There is one thing that is puzzling me: Elara, with her mastery of the Light element, possessed unmatched speed. Light element grants agility beyond comprehension, allowing her to move at light speed.

In theory, she should have been able to outmaneuver Astharoth with ease. Even if he was incredibly powerful, his Darkness couldn't match her raw speed. At her peak, she could cross vast distances—like a quarter of the universe she inhabits—in mere seconds. That kind of mobility is almost impossible to counter, even for a god-like Astharoth.

But for some reason, during that battle, she didn't utilize this speed. There had to be a reason—perhaps something more than just the mechanics of their powers. It's a mystery, one that I can't solve yet.

However, her memories hold the key. When I eventually gain access to them, I'll be able to understand what really happened before the battle that changed her personality and why she didn't use her full speed to defeat Astharoth. Until then, I can only speculate that she was restricted by something that made her unable to use her speed.

There's another skill I've unlocked—one that stands out above the rest. It's called Erase, and it ranks at the top of my abilities. The way it works is simple yet devastating. When the darkness I control touches something, it doesn't just destroy—it erases it from existence. The black smoke engulfs whatever it comes into contact with, and in doing so, I gain a small amount of power in return.

It's almost like the concept of Gluttony from some of those anime I've seen—where a power consumes to grow stronger—but this is slower, more controlled. The boost is small, like 0.001 stat for something as simple as a giant tree, and about 1 stat point for something like a Rank 4 Dreadlord Hollow.

It's not a fast way to gain strength like in those overpowered fantasy worlds, but it's methodical, without any drawbacks. There's no hunger driving me mad, no uncontrollable urges. Just steady, quiet power accumulating over time.

The best part? There's no downside—no insatiable appetite or craving that comes with the power, no endless void to fill. I can use it as needed, without being consumed by the ability itself. It's a slow burn, but it fits perfectly into my growing arsenal.

This Erase skill is already maxed out, at least in its current form. It can only evolve once I step into the God rank, the level where Astharoth's core had reached. Until then, the power it offers is capped. The reason I gain such small stat boosts from it is simple: my mana core is already at a much higher rank. Using this skill on weaker beings or objects feels almost like bullying—it's not even a challenge.

That's why the stat gain is so minimal, like 0.001 for a tree or 1 stat point for something as weak as a Rank 4 Dreadlord Hollow. It's a reflection of the disparity between my current level and those I'm erasing. But even with these small increments, the skill has its benefits. It's consistent, reliable, and doesn't require me to exert much effort.

For now, it serves as a steady, passive way to accumulate power without much strain. Once I reach God rank and unlock its true potential, I'm sure this skill will transform into something far more powerful, fitting for someone of that level. Until then, it's still a pretty useful tool in my arsenal, even if the gains are slow.

Next, I needed to focus on honing my control over the darkness element. It was clear to me that without mastering this control, I'd be setting myself up for disaster. If someone doesn't max out their control over their element before reaching the rank of Xerion - Initial, the consequences are severe.

The elements within their body could spiral out of control, driving them to madness and transforming them into monstrous beings known as Elementals. These Elementals can only be subdued by the elements opposing elements. That's why there are so few people who reach Xerion properly—it's an incredibly delicate and time-consuming process to refine one's element.

For most people, especially those from noble houses with high talent, it can take a year just to reach 20% control. And the further they progress, the harder it becomes, with the difficulty spiking every 10% increment.

Reaching full control is an almost insurmountable challenge for most, and it's what keeps many from advancing to the higher ranks.

But I had an advantage. Due to my unique physique and the nature of my mana core, my training progressed much faster. What took others years to achieve, I could manage in 6 years. 

The memories I gained from Astharoth had also revealed something crucial—when one reaches the God rank, they gain access to two immensely powerful abilities. These abilities would likely be game-changers, enhancing my already formidable skills.

But before I could even think about stepping into that realm, I had to ensure my darkness control was flawless. If I didn't, the consequences could be catastrophic.

"From now on, I have 9 days before the academy starts. I'll focus on improving my physical senses and pushing my control over the darkness element as far as I can. Although I don't want to go, my father and mother keep insisting I attend.

They believe I need to learn more about magic and swordsmanship, even though they taught me a lot already. They always said that fighting others is crucial to discovering my unique combat style. That's the real reason I'm going to the academy."

With that, the journey of Volume 1 comes to an end. Thank You.

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Author's Note:

Thank you for joining me on this journey through Volume 1! I appreciate your support and hope you enjoyed the story so far. Stay tuned for more things in the upcoming volumes!

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