next step

"Hm, so he needs to a rune inscribing master…" Hercules said with a hand under his chin, "Do you want me to contact him?" 

"yes, you are the only one he will listen to anyway, so it's best if the request comes from you." Aunt Uriel answered. 

"but he is on a mission right now, and I don't think he would return for another three months or so… maybe even longer." Hercules stated while looking at me, "How about this… I will start his training right away and see if he has any talent in forgery… it is best if he could forge the item that he is going to attach a domain to by himself, and even if he isn't able to do that, he should know the basics so he could specify the kind of item he wants with as much detail as possible."

"what about his fighting instructor?" Aunt Uriel asked.

"it will also be me…. naturally," Hercules answered. 

I don't know why, but I felt a look of pity in Lucile's eyes when he looked at me. 

"ok then, now that that is settled, we can get to his foundation…." Aunt Uriel said.

Standing next to Asue, looking at them, I felt like my destiny was being shaped in front of me without me having any say in it. 

"Naturally, the best element to complement his space element is time, but we all know that finding a time element beast is nearly impossible, and beating one is even more impossible.

Then there is the option of absorbing another space element core…although it might limit his potential to a single element, but at the same time, it will increase the element's power to unimaginable levels; he might even get a manipulation skill." Hercules commented.

As Aunt Uriel and Hercules were discussing the matter regarding my next core, Lucile suddenly couldn't take it anymore, "I have already determined the best core for him to absorb." 

Both Aunt Uriel and Hercules turned to look at him simultaneously, saying nothing and waiting for the rest of the explanation.

"After running some tests, I think that the best element for him, after the time, of course, is gravity.

It can both implement his space element and doesn't limit his future options at the same time." Lucile explained. 

"But where should we find a gra…"

Not letting Hercules finish his sentence, Lucile suggested, "How about gravity falls?"

"Are you out of your mind?" Hercules shouted. 

"…" On the other hand, Aunt Uriel seemed to be considering the matter. 

Seeing as Aunt Uriel wasn't saying anything, Hercules turned to her, saying, "You can not be serious." 

"He has a point, though…" Aunt Uriel said. 

"but…" 

Lucile jumped in, "Hear me out first…. The mythic core has already raised his potential way past fighters who have absorbed all three of their first foundation cores. He only needs some incentives to bring out that potential, and I'm sure you can handle that." 

"that much is doable, but still…" Hercules still didn't seem to be on board with the plan. 

"it's the only place with more than a ten percent chance of encountering a gravity element beast and has a lot of treasures that I can…. I mean, he can make use of." Lucile explained. 

"you…" Hercules was about to lash out at him, but a glance from Aunt Uriel was enough to make him stop and change the topic, "what about the entry slots?" 

"I have already thought about that. Since we won the last exploration, we can send twice as many people. That translates to more than fifty slots; I'm sure we can afford to use our influence to send him in, too." 

"you mean abuse…" 

"look at it however you want."

Looking at the two as if looking at a tennis match, I started to get annoyed, so I looked toward the only person who seemed as lost as I was, "Do you know what they are talking about?" 

Asue turned her head toward me and explained, "Gravity Falls is one of the regions shared between more than four races and only opens up once a year for about a month. 

The place has a natural law that prevents any fighter above rank 3 from entering it; that's why it's mostly unexplored since none of the rank 3 fighters and below dare to go too deep in their exploration." 

"but what is so special about that place?" I asked.

"Well, first of all, it has a lot of untouched natural resources.

Then there are the rare beasts that can be found there. There have even been some cases of extinct beasts being spotted there. 

And that's only the two more known reasons for gravity falls joined exploration." Asue explained.

"then what does Lucile mean by winning the exploration?" I asked. 

"each year, the race with the most valuable treasures will be announced as the winner of the exploration and gets twice as many slots for the next year, giving them a head start." 

"that seems more like a cheat." 

"it is, but even then, it is not a guaranteed win for last year's winner since every new discovery will be counted as an extra point.

Plus, in a place like gravity falls, quality is more important than quantity." 

As we were discussing, it seemed that Aunt Uriel, Hercules, and Lucile came to a conclusion, "we have decided," Aunt Uriel said while looking at me, "you have 7 subatomic months to get ready for the next opening if we find your improvements sufficient, we will allow you to enter with the rest f the ranked fighters, else, we have to settle for a less…. Special element." 

It was like I was being given an opportunity, but it sure didn't feel like one. It was more like they were deciding for my future without even giving me a say in it. 

Aunt Uriel gave me a knowing glance before explaining, "Don't think too much about it; it is custom for families to help their young members with their first foundation.

Trust me, after you are finished absorbing the third core of your first foundation, nobody will give you any special treatment anymore." 

Suddenly, I didn't know whether to feel good or bad about it.

On the one hand, they were deciding for me without me; on the other, as Aunt Uriel said, it all was special treatment, and I didn't know if I wanted to lose that special treatment. 

"your training will start the day after tomorrow. Be here at six in the morning." Hercules said and politely hinted for us to leave. 

After leaving the mountain and returning to the city, Aunt Uriel dismissed Lucile and Asue to talk privately with me in her office. 

"so, what are you planning on telling your mother?" she asked. 

"About what?" 

"about your sudden improvement," she said, and the next second, a mirror came out of the ground right in front of me. 

Looking in the mirror, I saw a tall, handsome young boy with shiny brown hair and light brown eyes. It took me a second to realize that the person in front of me was actually me.

"how…" I was blown out of my mind. 

"It's the result of absorbing a mythic core." Aunt Uriel explained, "Even a rare rank core can improve your physics by a huge margin; don't even mention a mythic one. I'm sure you could easily handle common monsters by yourself with your current physical power."

"is it that impressive?" I asked, not understanding the scope of the matter. 

"for an unraked fighter, yes, it is…" Aunt Uriel said, "Now, back to the main problem; what do you plan on telling your mother?" 

"do you have any suggestions?" I asked. 

"not really; you can come up with a story by yourself; just contact me if you want to make that story into a real one."

"what do you mean…" 

"let's say, for example, you tell your mother you were with the president. Well, I can make that happen." 

"Are you kidding me?" 

"no, we practically run the world, Alex. The upper world's politics, powers, borders… they don't mean anything to us.

We, the twelve knights, are the real power that runs the world… we are the government that governs the whole world." 

"then you are telling me that you can do anything?" I asked and emphasized, "Anything?" 

"anything." Aunt Uriel confirmed, then with a sly, knowing smile, asked, "Why? Do you have something in mind?"

"I want to kill that piece of shit," I said without beating around the bushes. 

"that can be arranged. I can get rid of him with a simple phone call if you want." 

It was that simple.

Just a phone call, and he was gone without anyone asking any questions.

But no, that's not what I wanted.

"I don't want you to do it," I said and then clarified, "I want to kill him with my own two hands."