Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 90 - 86 Craving Yet Mighty

The chain’s light traces on his right hand began to dissipate, the illusion of fullness started to fade, and Lyle’s body began to accept new magic powers, as well as new abilities.

He desperately wanted to test his new abilities, but the results on himself were as unsatisfying as chewing wax, the plague infection like larvae returning to their nest, those wild beasts were as comfortable in Lyle’s body as a domesticated dog in its home.

Lyle looked around, the only living thing was Kayla, but who would use their own friend for experimentation, especially since Lyle had the intuition that if he tried, the outcome would be disastrous.

In fact, this plague could also be used on plants, but that result was not what Lyle wanted, who would bother attacking a plant, watching the white Sword Dance Mandala in full bloom under the sun, these flowers of the dead as white as the morning light.

Lyle’s vision suddenly became hazy, he felt himself in a dark space dotted with luminescence, soaking in a pool, a pool gathered from liquid shimmering with gold, no, it was an ocean, an ocean of light submerged in the void.

As those sparkling liquids soaked his body, comfort and warmth took over Lyle’s mind, as if he could sleep forever.

But, someone just had to disrupt this atmosphere.

A sense of oppression suddenly emerged in Lyle’s heart, and the sense of safety brought by the gentle ocean of light disappeared as well.

Anxiety, fear, madness, one by one they appeared.

When extreme emotions swallow human thought, the primitive beastly instinct would come into full play.

It made Lyle stare at the still lake surface not far away.

At first, there was no difference.

Suddenly, a horn jutted out on the surface of the water, as if a naughty child had thrown a pebble from above, creating ripples from the collision.

That small point did not recede. It kept rising, ascending further, breaking through the shimmering liquid membrane, revealing the black, spirally grooved keratin, a curving pointed spire continuously emerging from beneath the water.

Two spires, nearby, a pair reflected like mirror images because of surfacing, perhaps symbolic architecture from some foreign civilization, religious type of worship buildings, because just by witnessing them, Lyle could not help but bow his head in reverence.

Below the two spires, a white hemispheric landmass became visible, this foreign city-state seemed to want to reveal itself fully to Lyle.

Lyle soaked in the bright liquid, watching this giant structure continue to emerge.

But gradually, a wave of fear climbed up his spine.

The "island" did not reveal any other buildings, only two spires stood proudly at each end, on the rounded, bare "island."

Only when those massive hollows appeared did Lyle realize his misperception.

The hollows set in the bony circular shell, within them, was nothing to see except the constant fear bubbling up from within when they were gazed into.

These were not spires, nor was it an island.

It was a giant, a giant with curved horns on its head, wearing a circular mask, with hollow eye sockets, spreading fear just by appearing.

It emerged from the golden ocean, the luminous liquid falling, unable to bring even a hint of sanctity to Him.

Lyle and the giant faced each other, He stared at him, and he was forcibly made to stare back at Him, as if invisible hands brutally pulled at his eyelids, preventing him from closing his eyes to avoid facing this terror.

The holy ocean of light surged with waves, and from beneath the ocean, He stretched out that hand, emaciated like a dry branch, its joints fixed by simple, massive knots, five claws like that of a demon, reaching towards Lyle.

That word, chanted from the void by a sharp and cunning voice, overwhelmed Lyle’s fear and shattered his consciousness.

"Lyle."

.........

What awoke him was a tremendous pain, but at the moment, it seemed minor.

Medusa had bitten him on the side of his waist.

"Lyle!" She slithered from his waist to his shoulder, "You’ve been standing still for an hour."

Was it an illusion?

"Thank you, Medusa, but you waited an hour before waking me when I was in trouble?"

"A holy light descended upon your head, if not for the excessive length of an hour, I would not have interfered with the holy light." 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Holy light calling?" Lyle rubbed his lower back, the fear in his heart gradually dissipated, and physical pain began to dominate, "After my advancement to the first lock?" When had the holy light also learned to be compatible, wasn’t it supposed to reject all heretical powers?

"I’m not sure, maybe you should seek the advice of a professional."

Lord Raymond, huh? As much as I don’t really want to see him, the fear and confusion the giants bring force me to ask him.

Lyle and Kayla left the cave, and the dense foliage in front of them lifted their spirits considerably.

Lyle stretched lazily, and the Talent Sphere crawled up his body.

It had grown larger, sporting an unhealthy dark green color with enhanced shapeshifting abilities, but the rough texture didn’t feel very pleasant.

"Gurulu." It extended two tentacles and rubbed its own body, seemingly also disliking the coarse feel, secreting a corrosive liquid to scrub at the keratin on the surface of the sphere.

The liquid, defying gravity, landed on Lyle’s shoulder, but it didn’t corrode his clothes.

Lyle waved his arms, and those liquid droplets flowed back into the sphere’s body.

He could now control the sphere’s secretions because his Magic Power had increased, strengthening his control over this "cheat" Talent. Their connection deepened.

It seemed quite surprised, extending a watery tentacle to touch Lyle’s arm.

Lyle chuckled. With the increase in power, signs of fusion appeared between them, but he had endowed it with sentience, looking at this independent Talent that had helped him many times before.

This journey was also to create an independent entity for it.

"My Talent, would you like a name?"

"Gurulu?"

Lyle glanced at its surface. He was terrible at naming, "How about Shui Shui? After all, your default shape is a big water sphere."

"Gurulu."

Gurulu was the sound Lyle heard the first time he made soup with the sphere, which had since become its only language. However, their bond allowed Lyle to perceive its joy.

"Then it’s decided, you’re Shui Shui."

Echel came over with a bulging sack in tow.

"Did you get the Sword Dance Mandala, Lyle?"

"I did."

"Then let’s head back. I happen to have a fool here who needs a job," Echel slapped the sack, Grael’s body inside. Without Lyle’s Necromancy Spell support, he needed a permanent resurrection ritual, a spell Lyle still couldn’t perform.

"Kayla," Echel embraced his granddaughter with one arm, "Then I won’t be returning with Lyle."

"The revival of Liveser still requires a lot of effort, Kayla. You still have many problems to face, but I believe you can do it. Keep up the hard work."

"Once you truly master The Art of War, my child, I will give you a special gift."

"I will work hard, Grandpa, for the dawn of Liveser."

"Silly girl, you are the dawn of Liveser."

After a brief farewell, Lyle and Echel retraced their steps.

Lyle made a suggestion.

"Echel, why don’t we swing across from the trees? Don’t look at me like that. While hunting, I encountered a Ranger and through his consciousness, I felt the joy of leaping through the jungle. I learned a lot from his experience—believe me, I’ve certainly transformed!"

Lyle climbed a giant tree, fearless and resolute.

He grabbed a vine and swung through the air, shouting as he went, but when trying to transfer to another vine, he missed and fell. Fortunately, Echel was quick on his feet and caught him.

"It was just a slip, I’ll definitely get it right next time." No sooner had he spoken than Lyle grabbed another vine.

"Damn it, a Liveser native’s habits of decades aren’t learned on a whim, you’re both bad and bold. Oh well, encouraging others to love tree climbing isn’t a disgrace to Liveser’s name, have it your way."

Echel lunged again to catch the falling Lyle.