Chapter 20: The Pursuit of Immortality

Chapter 20: Ambitions Awakened

On top of a cliff, red lightning flashes coalesced into a spell formation. An illusory figure materialized within the lightning and landed on the cliff.

"I am finally out!" declared Ron as he gazed at the void emitting energy waves.

This was the aftermath of a secret plane self-destructing in the main world, an event incredibly difficult to detect. Ron knew that the Dylan Gardens and everything within it were erased from the world.

Ron regarded the dissipating void with a tinge of regret. "This plane could have been a great hideout," he sighed.

"Let's go," Ron commanded the knights and left the area. He had instructed Anna to prepare a carriage on the outskirts of Zither Moon Mountain.

In the carriage, Ron examined the sturdy black book before him, labeled "Book of Giant Serpent." Placed there by the great Magus Serholm to conceal the high-grade meditation technique within the oil painting, it held invaluable knowledge and experiments, perfect for Ron's studies.

What Ron valued most in the Book of Giant Serpent were the 12 rank 1 spell models and 3 rank 2 spell models. These were highly sought after by various guilds and the magisterium in the south coast. Ron also obtained numerous Darkness Crystals and Bloodline Crystals that could hasten his journey to Rank 2, as well as books on inscriptions and potion formulas that deepened his knowledge.

High-grade meditation technique in hand, Ron couldn't wait to study it further.

Arriving at the outskirts of Zither Moon Town, Ron's two servants, Gleen and Fraser, awaited him beside the carriage.

"Master," they greeted as Ron approached.

"Upload the items into the carriage," Ron commanded, and the slaves meticulously loaded the herbs and materials from the Black Horrall Snake's corpse.

"Have everything been settled?" Ron inquired of Gleen.

"Yes, Young Master. The villa has been discreetly procured, and all necessary arrangements have been made according to your command," Gleen reported, bowing respectfully.

Ron nodded and glanced at his three slaves, realizing he had never given them names. From the start, he had viewed them as disposable tools.

"I should give them some reward," Ron thought aloud.

"You there, the three of you," he ordered, and the knights lined up, kneeling on the cold ground.

"From now on, your names will be Freed, Garvin, and Dexter," Ron said, designating them one by one. He bestowed the name 'Dexter' on the Grand Knight.

"From this moment, you are my servants, and I will take care of you," Ron declared.

"Thank you, Master," the three newly named knights kowtowed before him and kissed his feet.

"Glenn, take care of them; you are the Head Knight from now on," Ron commanded.

"Master, thank you for entrusting me with this responsibility. I will not disappoint you," Glenn assured, bowing.

Seated at the front of the carriage, Ron contemplated his decision to take these men in and bolster their strength. He was especially interested in the way of the Branded Swordsman.

"From the Dylan Gardens, I acquired an interesting book about inscriptions. Now, I need to see what this Branded Swordsman is about," Ron mused.

In a small villa in the outskirts of Zither Moon Town, guards practiced sword arts while an air of serenity enveloped the compound. Hidden beneath the villa was an underground structure, where a young man bathed in a pool. The water in the pool was a striking blood red, and a pained expression marred the youth's face.

Leylin had returned from the Inheritance Grounds five days ago and was immersed in a special bath to enhance his strength.

"Master!" a soft, agonized voice called out from behind.

Leylin glanced back to find Anna standing there with teary eyes.

"Don't come here! I'm fine," Leylin reassured her.

Anna tried to respond but hesitated. "But, Mas—"

"Shut up!" Leylin roared, releasing a suffocating pressure that affected everyone in the compound. Blood even began to ooze from Anna's nose, and fear filled the faces of the knights practicing.

Leylin withdrew the pressure and cast a regretful look at Anna. She quickly wiped her bloodied nose and bowed.

"Master, punish me. I spoke out of bounds," Anna apologized.

Leylin waved his hand, forgiving her, and watched her as she retreated.

The A.I. Chip had recently conducted research on using 'Sentient Force.' It had concluded that there was an issue with his previous method of gathering this force, leaving unutilized and useless residues.

While it wasn't an immediate concern, Leylin wanted to address it to prevent potential issues in the long term. Since he had to wait three to four months before returning to the Academy, he decided to include this task on his agenda.

Currently, Leylin's focus was on two things: securing his villa with proper restrictions and purifying himself from the accumulated residues in his body.

He began taking herbal baths with a mixture of herbs he had extracted, as well as Bloodline Crystals. The process was costly but significantly improved his physical strength.

Leylin turned to Anna and asked absentmindedly, "What do you think strength is?"

Anna hesitated for a moment before answering, "You are strength, Master."

Leylin looked at her with an odd expression and shook his head, thinking that a slave might not have deep insights into such matters.

"To me, strength is you. As long as I have you, I have a purpose in life, and I know you won't let anyone hurt me," Anna stated with conviction.

Leylin burst into laughter, shaking the entire room. "Strength, kind, and benevolent? If I'm kind, then magicians are godsend angels! You think I will always protect you? Let me tell you something, dear. If a strong person, say a Rank 1 Magus, comes to kill you, I'd gladly hand you over to save my own skin."

"That may be so, but I know for sure that such a person will not have a good end either. You will not spare him!" Anna responded resolutely.

Leylin's smile vanished, and he watched her retreating form. "She's more interesting than I thought."

Since his reincarnation, Leylin had shown no interest in interacting with others. He viewed everyone as mere chess pieces, given his knowledge of the future. In his previous life, he was not particularly talkative, but he was not as cold and conceited as he was now.

However, Leylin had a burning desire to forge his own path, irrespective of the novel's events or the appearance of unknown characters. He was determined to live life on his own terms.

The tradition of the Magus World had continued for about 1,000 years. In the ancient past, even before this era, countless people accumulated knowledge and genius. They invented mysterious spells, striving to advance the field of magic.

Leylin's goal was to stand on the shoulders of these giants, using their knowledge to build his path to success as he pursued strength and stability.