Chapter 151: Chapter 151: A Talent Seen Once In 100,000 Years

Although he appeared relatively calm on the surface, Alaric’s heart thudded rapidly as multiple thoughts raced through his mind.

For a brief moment, his guard dropped slightly, leaving himself bare as Ulric’s piercing eyes saw through his cover and glimpsed his true strength. Or was it?

Whatever the case, he found it amusing that the little brat thought he could outsmart someone who had spent decades refining his craft.

The smug look that followed, as Ulric assumed he had uncovered everything and now stood above him, was mildly entertaining. Clearly the brat was still a little wet behind the ears.

But that hardly mattered now. He had seen the phenomenon. Everyone in Tempest had. He doubted anyone could have missed it even if they tried. The scale had been too massive.

With that in mind, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say this was the most shocking breakthrough to D-rank he had ever witnessed. With his extensive knowledge and experience, he had seen all kinds of geniuses from small and great cities alike.

But the youth before him was different. He had rightly earned his title as a monster among geniuses.

Looking back, he could see why Ulric had been so confident about joining the supreme academies. It turned out he didn’t possess just one SSS-rank talent, but multiple. What was more surprising was that he had managed to keep them hidden from the prying eyes of multiple figures, himself included.

An impressive feat, given how keen Alaric had been with his appraisal of the black-robed youth.

Nodding in thought, he delved deeper.

Even with all the cheers that erupted from the youth’s advancement, he doubted most people truly understood the magnitude of what Ulric had just accomplished.

Awakening a single SSS-rank talent was a rare and celebrated feat across all great cities. Awakening two was impossibly rare.

Let alone five. This was the kind of feat seen only once in a hundred thousand years. The thought alone sent waves of adrenaline surging through his body. That was just how insane it was.

If he had known Ulric hadn’t always possessed these SSS-rank talents and had only acquired them recently through flashes of insight, and could acquire more if he wanted, he might have spat mouthfuls of blood until he died.

That would be too monstrous, even for a figure such as him.

Taking multiple sharp breaths, he tried to calm himself but failed repeatedly. Once the royal family discovered his existence in the future, he had a feeling it wouldn’t be Ulric who needed to prove himself, but them.

A crazy thought he wouldn’t have dared harbor previously. But with everything he had seen, the dark-robed figure felt like a being without a ceiling. No matter which angle he viewed it from.

Just as Alaric was getting worked up, Ulric made his way forward. Sinking into the empty chair, he grabbed the mug of steaming tea and stared at it curiously.

In a single glance, he could feel the massive energy contained within. Probably even more than the last time.

Taking a sip, his eyes glowed brilliantly as his body relaxed naturally. Unlike the soothing essence tea that had merely refreshed him, this one made him feel deeply relaxed.

He felt the energy within circulate through his body, purging impurities that had somehow remained despite all the constant refinement. It gave him instant comfort as he sank deeper into his chair.

Incredible. Ulric mused. Truly incredible. He clutched the cup tightly while relishing the taste. Everything about it was just... great.

Taking a moment to snap out of his thoughts, he lifted his head to stare at the old man before letting out a quiet sigh.

"Tell me more about... the supreme geniuses," he muttered, revealing the reason for his visit.

As the youth’s words echoed, Alaric nodded slightly, a faint chuckle escaping his lips.

A wise decision, he thought. With the youth’s power, the city’s resources wouldn’t sustain his growth for long.

Combined with the fact that possessing this much talent wasn’t always viewed as good news, he needed to align himself with a powerful force before he grew strong enough to protect himself.

Running through the possibilities, Alaric muttered as his gaze lifted to the sky with a faint smile.

"Every year, the academies hold selection trials to recruit talented figures. The higher the ranked academy, the stronger and more talented the geniuses there," he began.

But before he could continue, Ulric cut him short.

"The supreme academies... I want to know more about them."

At the words, Alaric’s expression dropped slightly as a scowl formed across his face.

He had almost forgotten how stubborn the little brat was. Still, he obliged. Seeing the determined glint in the youth’s eyes, he wasn’t as doubtful as the last time.

"I was getting there..." He exhaled, shaking his head slightly before continuing.

"The supreme academies also send representatives across the great cities to oversee the trials. If there are any extremely talented outliers, they personally handpick them to undertake a test set by the supreme academies before they can even enter."

Seeing the smug look on the youth’s face as if this was a simple matter, Alaric’s lips twitched rapidly as he added,

"It would do well for you to know that despite having SSS-rank talents, some figures weren’t picked. Even if you pique their attention... I already told you, you need great status."

"You seem to be forgetting something," Ulric muttered. An unfazed smile carved across his face as he reached out to rub the jade pendant hanging on his neck.

It had to count for something. A great status, at the very least. In most cases, he had refrained from showing it off. But given the chance of joining a great power with vast resources to accelerate his growth, he supposed the risk matched the reward. Perhaps a little too perfectly.

Seeing the gesture and catching the implication of the youth’s intentions, the old man’s eyes bulged as he snapped,

"You wouldn’t..."

"You underestimate me."

"This..." Alaric breathed, his eyelids fluttering repeatedly. He didn’t know if the youth before him fully understood this, but what he intended to do carried a great deal of risk.

Sure, it would grant him the status required to clear the supreme academy trials. But it was similar to carrying a blade against his own neck. One wrong move... and he would be done for.

"What if you fail?" Alaric continued, trying to talk some sense into him.

If he revealed his cards too soon and the royal family found out about his presence, his life would be in danger with no academy willing to back him. Even ancient academies would go to some lengths to please the royal family.

They held too much power. And rightfully so, their strength wasn’t to be scoffed at. A huge reason why they were particularly strict about their bloodline.

"I will not fail," Ulric breathed, a glint of confidence flashing across his eyes. He could sense the old man’s concern, but he had already made up his mind.

Based on all the information he had picked up from Alaric, the resources from mainstream academies wouldn’t be enough for him. He could easily forge his own path to strength without them.

Besides, he exhaled heavily. The gambling spirit flared deep within him. It was all or nothing. The sheer thought caused his head to drop as even he felt the weight of his own greed.

Locked in a standoff for a few seconds, the old man shook his head helplessly. Following his thought process, he could understand to a point why Ulric was so insistent.

Given the monstrous talent he had displayed, even he felt an ancient academy would hold him down. It was just that the risk of joining a supreme academy was too great.

With the limitless future he had glimpsed in the youth, he wouldn’t want to see it cut short because of one brash decision. Still, it wasn’t his path. And given everything he knew about the youth, once he made up his mind, there was no changing it.

Seeing the conflicted look on the old man’s face, Ulric smiled faintly.

The realm of Arcadia was a big place filled with danger interlaced with opportunities. He doubted the great human emperors became so powerful by treading safe paths.

Nodding at the thought, his eyes scoured the room before falling on the edge where the door stood. Behind it, he could sense another presence as the figure tried to peek discreetly.

But with his senses, it made little difference, he perceived her presence no differently than if she were standing in front of him.

Mira? he thought, remembering the girl from last time. When their eyes locked, he could almost see her startled expression before she hurriedly scampered away.

A peculiar little girl. Ulric chuckled inwardly. He had no doubt the old man had sensed her presence as well. He just didn’t give her any mind.

Their dynamic did seem a little... interesting.

His thoughts were cut short as the old man suddenly rose, disappearing into another chamber. The sound of rummaging echoed out before he came back a few minutes later, a massive map clutched in his fingers.

Exhaling quietly, Alaric set the map down and rolled it open. His decision made. Since he couldn’t stop him, the only thing he could do was help. All he hoped was that the youth knew what he was doing.

He had developed an uncanny liking for the little brat. In more ways than one, he could see his old self in the youth before him.

With all that in mind, he opened his mouth to speak while gesturing at different points on the map.

"If my timing is right... the academy trials are set to begin in a month. Given your dying intent to participate, then you’ll need to head off to a great city. The nearest one being Maelstrom. A week’s journey if you take D-rank mounts..."

"Why not a C-rank?" Ulric questioned. He was fairly sure he had the means to... tame one.

"Strong beasts like that will only attract stronger monsters. It’s not worth the trouble."

"There are B-rank beasts this deep into the wastelands?"

"Much higher..."

Conversing for a few hours, Ulric seared all the information into the back of his mind while absorbing every valuable detail the old man imparted.

When it was all done and he had internalized everything, he expressed his gratitude, leaving a small flask behind before his figure vanished into the distance.

When Alaric opened it, the heavy scent of medicinal properties flooded the chamber.

Inside were multiple potions, but unlike most regular ones, these appeared to have been refined repeatedly. With the ability to even influence D-rank and C-rank beings.

A few potions Ulric had corrupted recently, enhancing their properties insanely.

Done appraising them, Alaric burst out in boisterous laughter. He wasn’t sure how Ulric had gotten his hands on them, but he was certain he could sell them for a great price.

His investment... cough... friendship was already paying off!

***

With all the acquired knowledge playing in the back of his mind, Ulric shadow-teleported rapidly.

But instead of heading back to the Greyson residence, his figure blurred toward the depths of Tempest City.