Boundless Cultivation-Chapter 50 - The Ember Plains

Eustace’s POV

Eustace was feeling a little better after venting his frustration. Edgar had managed to turn his mind. He had to think rationally to resolve this problem instead of succumbing to the guilt he harbored deep inside.

If an encounter with the witches was unavoidable at some point, they would prepare accordingly. I will not give up so easily.

“We have to prepare Alaric to be as strong as possible,” said Eustace. “Before he reaches an academy.” He trusted Alaric to secure admission into a prestigious academy with his talents.

This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.

Capital city academies such as ‘The Stellan Institute’ or ‘Evercrest Academy’ were among the most secure places in the empire for students. Once Alaric secured admission into a prestigious academy, it would be the responsibility of the administration to protect him. And, he could relax for a while.

“Of course. I’ll make sure of it,” said Edgar. “At the rate he is progressing, I believe he’ll be able to acquire ten mana skills within six months.” Edgar scratched his cheek, as if wanting to ask him something but hesitating to approach the matter.

He could discern the reason for Edgar's hesitation. So, you have the same doubt. He chuckled and decided to broach the subject himself.

“Do you suspect Alaric is using a different cultivation technique as well?” he said. There was almost no mistaking his gut. There was no way Alaric could forge a liquid mana core so early without an exceptional cultivation technique.

His own bloodline cultivation technique couldn’t deliver such results. And that meant Alaric wasn’t using the cultivation technique he had taught him.

“Yes, I do. Do you think we should talk to him about this?” Edgar asked.

Eustace shook his head. “No, there is no need.” He let out a laugh. “Didn't you notice his face when we questioned him about his progress?”

Edgar nodded. “Yes, he was nervous, as if he was guarding some kind of secret.”

The count and his best friend agreed that it would be best not to press Alaric on this subject, at least for now. If Alaric didn’t want to disclose where he had learned such a powerful cultivation technique, there was no way they could pry it out of him.

Is he simply a natural-born prodigy? Or is there something more to this that I’m unable to grasp at the moment? He shook his head. Some secrets are best left undisclosed.

Although it still troubled the count how his kid discovered such a powerful cultivation technique, he decided to let go of the matter for now.

***

Alaric felt unusually thrilled to explore the third zone of the Tutorial Rift - The Ember Plains. It was a volcanic wasteland that stretched to the horizon with rivers of lava flowing around hills.

The ground shook intermittently when nearby volcanoes erupted. and the air was thick with ash clouds and heavy sulfur. However, he exhaled a long sigh, relieved to have the chance to explore a new zone - alone - after so many weeks.

Now, he could unleash his power and battle enemies without constraints. He didn’t have to fret about his friends when exploring together.

The howling of a creature broke his reverie. Flame hounds. Alaric summoned his mana gauntlet lance and advanced deeper.

Jagged obsidian rock formations all around served as both cover and obstacles. A creature lunged at him from behind an obsidian rock formation as he neared it. Alaric dodged it and drove his mana gauntlet lance at its ribs.

It yelped in pain and retreated behind a pack of flame hounds that gradually emerged. The large, wolf-like creatures had black fur streaked with flowing fissures of magma.

The pack encircled him, scrutinizing him but hesitating to strike first.

Hah...intelligent creatures. Alaric lunged forward to strike at one of them with his mana gauntlet lance. However, it managed to avoid his strike. The flame hound reinforced their bodies with a skill - [Mana Strengthening]. Their muscles swelled and their agility improved.

One of them howled and they spread out. As Alaric attempted to land another strike, multiple wolves harassed him from different angles. He conjured a mana shield to defend himself. At this rate, I won’t be able to slay them.

He exposed himself on purpose to create an opening. It was a risky move, but it yielded results. He managed to land a strike with his mana gauntlet lance onto a flame hound’s body.

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However, his mana gauntlet lance hit the creature's reinforced body and shattered. As the creatures realized his attacks were ineffective, they grew bolder.

Alaric swiftly summoned a mana shield as multiple flame hounds lunged at him, attempting to pin him down. Heat radiated from their bodies, scorching his skin, and the pressure of their combined weight began to fracture his barrier.

Alaric gritted his teeth, channeling mana into his barrier skill to the limits. No, I cannot give up.

Unfortunately, his mana shield cracked under the force. One hound sank its teeth into his arm, and another latched onto his leg.

He swallowed the pain and activated [Zen Flow] to reduce the strain. Time seemed to slow as he analyzed the wolves and detected how they circulated mana to reinforce their bodies. He had already suspected how to channel mana similarly.

Now, he confirmed it. Got it! He grinned.

Congratulations! You have acquired the skill [Mana Strengthening] (common).

He pumped mana into his body to reinforce it and immediately felt new strength flooding him.

It was akin to exhausting a drop of root chakra energy but not quite. Enhancing his body through this skill felt temporary, unrefined, and a little less potent at this stage. However, it was enough for now.

With his newfound power, he drove a mana gauntlet lance into the hound that bit his arm with a roar. It shrieked in pain, fear now evident in its eyes. He kicked the other one that clamped onto his leg.

Alaric rose and activated his [Vital Mana Flow] skill to heal his wounds. He scanned the flame hounds, noting their positions, now cowering under his glare. The creatures realized that what they had considered prey just moments ago was, in fact, a predator.

The flame hounds would simply flee if he attempted to chase them, and that would waste too much energy.

He tried something new. Instead of forging a mana gauntlet lance with his [Mana Solidification] skill, he sculpted a long javelin and hurled it at one of the hounds with tremendous force.

Before the hound could comprehend what had occurred, the mana javelin pierced through its skull.

Alaric summoned a long mana spear and charged into the fray, skewering the hounds left and right. The flame hounds were not a match for him anymore - in agility or strength.

He launched mana javelins at those attempting to flee, killing them on the spot. His heart pounded, and heat surged through his chest. This is the feeling he craved — The power to annihilate his opponents without resistance.

After taking care of every flame hound in the vicinity, he ventured further and arrived near a molten lake. His danger sense flared, prompting him to evade a projectile attack.

A massive humanoid figure emerged from the pool — its body composed of cooled volcanic rock, with streaks of lava flowing through its form. Hot magma dripped from its hand. Lava Fiends.

Alaric dodged once more as it flung a glob of lava at him, which exploded upon impact. He hurled a mana javelin at the lava fiend, expecting it to pierce through. However, the mana javelin erupted into flames and melted as it sank into the lava fiend’s body.

More of these monstrosities emerged from the pool and began lobbing globs of lava at him. He darted away from some and shielded himself from others.

However, he couldn’t remain completely unscathed, as the lava detonated upon contact with the shield or the ground, sending shockwaves and debris that battered his body.

Alaric scoured his mind for a strategy. He observed that the lava fiends refrained from throwing lava globs when he was near them. He revised his strategy.

He conjured a mana shield just as a lava fiend was about to launch a lava glob. However, instead of shielding himself, he enveloped the lava fiend’s body.

The lava glob detonated upon impact with the shield from within, shattering a section of its form. It roared in pain. Alaric grinned. Yes, this will work.

He wove between the elemental monstrosities, capitalizing on their reluctance to strike their kin with lava globs, and encased them in shields when they attempted to attack him, turning their own assaults against them.

It was all going well. Suddenly, the ground shook, and a far larger lava fiend emerged halfway from the pool, its upper body towering above the surface while the rest remained submerged.

Elite Event Triggered - Defeat the Lava Fiend Champion. Reward - ???

The lava fiend champion plunged its hand beneath the magma lake, scooped up a massive glob of lava, and flung it at Alaric, who swiftly dodged. Unlike the previous lava globs that exploded on impact, this one adhered to the ground, spreading into a thick layer of molten rock.

Alaric couldn’t rely on his shield against these attacks. The lava would simply cling to and engulf his shield, scorching him when he dispelled it.

More lava fiends emerged from the lava pool. The temperature in the area soared up. Alaric started sweating. The monstrosities advanced with newfound confidence, as if empowered anew under the watchful gaze of the lava fiend champion.

They unleashed a relentless barrage of lava globs, far more than before.

Alaric could only brace himself against the assault, with no opportunity to evade. Each time a lava glob exploded against his shield, the shock reverberated through his very bones.

Time and again, his shield teetered on the brink of collapse, and he barely sustained it by channeling mana into the skill at a frantic pace. It was only possible thanks to his liquid core.

However, when the lava fiend champion hurled a colossal glob of lava that latched onto his shield, the blistering heat nearly incapacitated him.

His skin blistered, his hair singed, his throat dried, and his bones ached. “Aargh..” Alaric roared, refusing to give up. If none of his skills were working, he would craft a new one.

Alaric extended his palm and began gathering his mana. However, instead of solidifying it, he compressed it further, forcing an orb of condensed mana to coalesce around his hand.

The concentrated mana vibrated under the grip of his willpower and yearned to be released. When he could no longer contain it, he aimed his palm at the lava fiend champion and released his hold on the mana.

Congratulations! You have learned the skill [Mana Blast] (uncommon).

A concentrated surge of mana erupted from his palm, obliterating a massive portion of his mana shield, carving through several lava fiends before colliding with the lava fiend champion’s body, triggering a huge explosion.