The flower

"Anna, seriously, slow down; you're still just a kid," I said with a touch of envy in my voice. "But I still don't understand how you managed to get hired by an elder spirit."

"I don't understand it either, Liam. It just happened, and now my success in the world is probably assured," Anna exclaimed proudly.

"Damn, guys, I'm going to fall behind at this pace," Peter said with sadness. "But I'll be strong someday too."

"Well, Peter, someday you'll be strong, but not as strong as me," I said mockingly. We continued chatting among ourselves, and finally, we arrived at Milwood.

"Alright, guys, see you tomorrow. I'm heading home; it's getting late," I said, and so I went home.

As I headed home, I couldn't help but smile.

"To think I would find it there," I thought.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a plant.

The plant looked rotten, a flower resembling a decaying rose, with a completely black stem and petals.

It seemed like it could break with the slightest touch.

This was an extremely rare plant called "obscurus."

This flower had the peculiar characteristic of having an elemental affinity, specifically the affinity for darkness.

It was a rare resource used by the powerful to enhance their understanding of a specific element.

In the novel, a companion of the protagonist with the darkness affinity consumed it, resulting in excellent control of their element.

Since I didn't have my mana core fully developed, the effect should be even more potent.

It was a stroke of luck that I stumbled upon it while searching for Anna in the forest.

Without the detailed description from the novel, I wouldn't have been able to recognize it.

Right now, I wasn't heading home but rather to a place where I could safely consume the plant.

"Alright, this seems like a good spot" I thought.

The location I found was an abandoned park on the outskirts of the town where no one would disturb me.

I sat on a wooden bench and stared at the plant.

"How am I supposed to consume this thing?" I wondered.

I recalled that the novel mentioned a special method for consumption, but it didn't provide many details.

I was unsure what might happen if I took this plant incorrectly, so I felt nervous and uncertain about whether I should do it.

In my moment of doubt, I thought of that bastard Leo. He had higher potential than mine, so I had to move much faster.

"I can't waste this opportunity," I murmured.

I then took out a water canteen I had and placed the two items in front of me.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained," I whispered.

Without hesitation, I put the plant in my mouth and swallowed it.

The flower tasted somewhat like lime but with a hint of acidity.

As for its texture, there wasn't much to comment on; it was like chewing on a less firm wafer.

"The effect shouldn't be immediate; I'll wait for a while" I told myself.

And so, I sat and waited

I took a sip from the canteen to wash away the bitter taste of the plant.

Suddenly, I saw a newspaper on the ground.

I picked it up, and the headline caught my attention: "Truck Full of Weapons Stolen by Nightfall."

Nightfall was a terrorist group involved in robbery, murder, and drug trafficking. In the novel, this mafia gains relevance at the beginning of the second arc, so I needed to be informed about their movements.

"Nightfall has stolen a shipment full of weapons and valuable resources that were meant to support the prevention of beast attacks and other factors. This vile act can be considered an unforgivable crime and a challenge to Lotus. Now the question is: How will Lotus react to such insolence?" I read.

Just as I was about to turn the page, a sharp pain invaded my body.

"Ouch," I exclaimed. I fell to the ground due to the intense pain I was experiencing.

It felt similar to when my father put that black liquid in my hand the other day, but the difference was that I felt this sensation in my stomach.

Every passing second made the pain more unbearable, to the point where I had to stretch out on the floor to try to alleviate the discomfort.

"I have to do something," I thought.

It was at this point that I remembered how I expelled the viscous black liquid the night before. I tried to replicate what I did, but the intense sensation of burning from within prevented me from doing so.

Just as I was about to give up, a figure appeared whom I recognized instantly.

It was my father.

"Let me help you with that, son," he exclaimed before placing his large hand on my belly.

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Meanwhile, at the Lotus headquarters, the atmosphere was chaotic.

Everyone was murmuring something in a panicked state.

It wasn't until a red-haired man with brown eyes entered the room that everyone fell silent.

"What's going on here?" the man exclaimed.

The man turned out to be none other than Thomas Garza, the most powerful person on the continent and the highest representative of Lotus.

In the center of the room, there was a giant screen displaying a red dot.

"Sir, we have detected a large concentration of monsters in a northern forest; we believe there will be an avalanche soon" said an agent.

Thomas looked at the screen and finally said:

"Do we have anything to lose if that beast avalanche destroys the nearby settlements?"

These words might sound immoral, but everyone in the room knew they couldn't afford to send any high-ranking individuals, as they were still in a temporary truce with the east and had to remain alert.

"Yes, sir, in a nearby village, there is a girl with semi-divine potential. It would be a loss to the country if that girl dies" another officer said.

"Very well, if that's the case, then send an agent with at least 6 rings to that location as fast as possible" said Thomas.