Ch. 21 Illusion Attack

"Don't you love me anymore?"

"Ah?"

"Why did you put me in such a dangerous position? What if I die? The electricity I felt was painful."

"…" This little rascal… he clearly saw Paskha put on a serious face as if he was thinking about something carefully, yet this kind of conclusion he had come to?

Sir Clove raised his hand and slapped the side of his hand on the top of Paskha's head, making the poor boy wince. "Silly boy. If I don't love you, you're dead the second you set foot on the first layer."

Paskha rubbed his head and gave a small smile. Of course, he knew this. If he were Sir Clove's enemy, he would not be able to escape once trapped in his master's domain.

"Aside from that, what you saw was just an illusion attacking you."

Illusion? That's why he felt he had experienced it himself. But this illusion was so terrifying that it took away his most painful memories.

"Why did an illusion appear?" it wasn't that Paskha was pretending to be idiotic, but he didn't know why an illusion was attacking him. As far as he could remember, neither illusion nor mental strength attacks had hit him when he unlocked the third point.

"The third base point is the brain. It seems trivial and relies on full concentration, but the brain plays an essential role in absorbing information. This third point is the most difficult in unlocking the base point.

In a weak position, your concentration will break, and you will think of other things and the evil spirit energy mixed in the air will take advantage of this to sway you. If you let your guard down, an illusion will form and attack your mind. If this is allowed to continue, your brain function might be damaged, or worse… your brain will die," explained Sir Clove calmly without any expression of worry or agitation.

"Then what should I do?"

"Considering that you are still only seven, there shouldn't be any illusions that could harm your soul. After all, the illusion is formed from your deepest trauma. What kind of trauma do you have?"

Paskha had a lot of trauma, but… there was no way he could tell Sir Clove… not yet.

"Even if you have one, you'll be fine as long as you stick to one goal."

"Goal?"

"What is your goal in becoming a cultivator? What made you so determined to become a soul master? You must have that goal, right? Even though you are still very young, I can see clarity and determination in your eyes. Hold on to that goal and focus your mind on that."

Sir Clove patted Paskha on the shoulder gently. "You should be fine if you don't stray from your intended path. All illusions will not be able to break through your defenses."

Paskha didn't know whether Sir Clove knew his actual state or not. But he knew Sir Clove realized the illusion attacking his mental strength was no ordinary one.

"I understand. Thank you, Sir Clove."

Sir Clove nodded once again. "It's noon already. I have prepared lunch for you."

Paskha got up and walked, following his teacher to the dining room, where a delicious aroma assaulted his nostrils. He held his stomach as he felt a subtle vibration in his stomach.

Without further ado, Paskha devoured his dishes so deliciously while Sir Clove looked at Paskha with sympathy.

His mind was filled with what scene this child saw. He saw Paskha and Sharleen grow into handsome and beautiful young man and girl, and there was no doubt they were lovers.

But the next second, a tragic scene appeared before him.

As a dual soul master, Sir Clove could see into the hearts of those within his domain. He could also see what kind of illusions his 'victim' was experiencing.

Seeing the Golden General's cloak wrapped around Paskha's towering adult body made Sir Clove's heart feel proud. He was sure that with this kid's talent and intelligence, the boy would be able to become a Golden General in no time.

He was astonished by Paskha's decision. If that kid managed to become a Gold General in the future, why would Paskha change his mind? And that tragic scene gave him an answer.

'Their romance ended tragically even when his divine aura was sealed. Is there nothing I could do to break the curse?' Sir Clove couldn't help but cry silently and wonder if Paskha used the reborn soul skill without knowing it. It explained the sudden change of behavior in one day.

This child's temperament and aura were different from before. Since Paskha woke up in his class and suddenly hugged Sharleen, only Sir Clove realized that there was something different about Paskha. What's more, the child's extraordinary mana division and soul force control ability strengthened his belief that Paskha had already experienced death once.

Sir Clove let out a resigned breath without him realizing it.

"Sir Clove, what's wrong? Why do you look hopeless?"

Sir Clove shook his head. "Nothing in particular. Finish your meal, and let's continue training."

Paskha nodded in agreement without arguing. "Ah, I almost forgot. Sir Clove, why is the voltage suddenly so high? Why did I run out of my mana when I didn't use most of it?"

"That's because there's a lot on your mind. And your determination in thinking made you fight against the electric array at the first layer. That was when your mana reacted to protect your body without you noticing."

"So... I keep fighting until I finally reach the highest layer?"

"No, you fainted when you stepped on the second layer. If you could absorb the mana in the air, you could barely survive past the second layer. But you already run out of mana when you survive in the first layer. That's why the voltage you feel feels many times and makes you faint."

The voltage of the first and second layers should not be so different—both still functions to shock rather than hurt.

Paskha finished his last mouthful, drank some water, and stood up. "Sir Clove, I'm ready."

This time he wasn't going to step on the power array., and he wouldn't even step foot on the first layer because he already knew his goal for cultivation.