True Void hovered in midair as he looked at Kyran lying on the floor in the middle of the gray room. He had his eyes closed and his brows were furrowed as if he was in pain.
"Tsk, tsk. See what greed can do? You wanted to absorb everything. Did you really think it was easy?" True Void said disapprovingly.
His reaction was reasonable. For the past few days, Kyran had taken advantage of the training's loophole and absorbed as many knowledge tablets as he could without much rest. At last, after five days Kyran was mentally, physically and even spiritually exhausted.
This event was something unprecedented in the tower's history!
The tower had a special mechanism that let their participants not feel exhaustion or hunger which in turn would allow them to stay awake and active for days, weeks, even for months. All these, however, had been thrown out the window because of Kyran's stubbornness and recklessness.
Kyran let out a chuckle and opened one eye slightly to look at True Void.
"Will you believe me if I say this is within my expectations?" He asked.
True Void snorted, "Regardless if it is within your expectations, are you planning to over exhaust yourself and be the first in history to die from absorbing too much knowledge?"
"No," Kyran replied with mirth in his voice. True Void was exaggerating. Kyran knew his limits but the special mechanism of the tower messed up what he was used to.
Finally hoisting his body into a sitting position, Kyran added, "I'm only testing my limits. Now that I know, I will adjust my strategy."
"Reckless! Definitely reckless!" True Void shook his head with a sigh.
This side of Kyran was very similar to his master. However, by the time True Void formed his spirit, his master had graduated from his reckless behaviour. After that, there were a few times his master appeared reckless but in actuality, he was only acting the part to fool everyone including those he called his friends.
Kyran sat and closed his eyes, continuing to rest his mind and replenish his magic energy.
Unlike in the Lignum plane, the place where this room was located had rich energy in the surroundings, making it easier for him to replenish the magic energy he used up by overusing his magic sense.
As for his stamina, he could only rely on his body's natural recovery ability because his magic cores apart from his Void core had been sealed again. It was not hard to let his body recover, though. Now that he knew the dragon blood in his veins had changed his physique more or less, it had become easier to control his cells to heal.
While Kyran meditated, he contemplated True Void's concern. He was aware True Void's concern was within reason. Absorbing all the knowledge in all rooms was practically impossible even if he used magic sense.
If Kyran really aimed for that, it would take more than a year to absorb everything. It was simply out of the question. He also did not plan to take his sweet time in this place, even with the time difference.
His reason for coming to the tower to train was not to absorb all the knowledge inside but to grow stronger and learn enough knowledge to overcome his weaknesses. It was only in this way could he be prepared to face anything once his plan in saving his clan was put into motion.
"Have you decided which room you'd go in?"
True Void's question snapped Kyran out of his reverie.
Without opening his eyes, Kyran nodded and replied with a simple, "Yes."
Based on what the voice inside the room had said, only by passing the test would he be able to return to the tower. The trigger to that was entering the room and absorbing all the knowledge inside.
"Which one?" True Void asked again.
Kyran replied with only a slight smile. He did not mean to keep it a secret but he already knew True Void had an idea. True Void was only asking for confirmation.
"Tsk, tsk. You truly are reckless. The test is not that simple you know," True Void voiced out disapprovingly again.
"The test in that room likely required to complete one or two samples. If this is true and we follow the pattern when the tower presented my rewards, anything I created will be given to me as spoils. I'm aiming for that," Kyran replied matter-of-factly.
"You really are an exploiter, an exploiter!" True Void berated. "No. No. Was the right word opportunist? Either way, you are black-hearted!"
"It is called being resourceful," Kyran replied and sighed in his heart. True Void was exaggerating again. To be honest, Kyran would not resort to this if he had a lot of resources outside. As of the moment, he could only support his daily necessities. If he wanted to get stronger, he would need a lot of resources.
Aside from this, the reason why Kyran decided to pick that room was related to the slip with the ancient teaching he absorbed from one of his rewards. If he mastered that teaching and apply it to the sample he had to complete, it would greatly help one of the flaws of his plan in saving his clan. As long as that flaw was covered, the rest of the flaws would be dealt with as well.
"Besides, I'm not sure if I have to find the materials myself or this place would provide it," Kyran added trying to defend his decision.
"Everything will be provided," True Void told him. "At least, when my master took the test of the Array room, all the things he needed to complete the test were there."
"It's all good, then," Kyran replied. But he was slightly disappointed. He did not mind being transported in another plane to gather his own materials. Because that would serve as another form of training.
"You say that but you sounded disappointed. I really don't understand you," True Void complained.
Kyran did not reply and just smiled.
A few hours later….
When Kyran had rested enough, he continued to absorb the knowledge tablets.
The knowledge he had absorbed so far already exceeded a mage who had been studying magic for fifty years. Not to mention, the knowledge recorded in the tablets was not limited to the Human plane.
Unfortunately, with the differences of rules in magic theory within every plane, applying the knowledge of another plane in the Human plane might be impossible.
Days passed inside the gray room, and soon it had been two weeks, then a month.
With each passing day, Kyran's knowledge of different branches of magic grew.
The theory his predecessor had of trying to recreate different elements using Void magic, also became feasible. Kyran had already thought of a plan on how to do it, but he did not want to try it here. He decided to try it when they return because he was unsure of the room's 'magic rules.'
If Kyran ended up succeeding here, it did not mean he would succeed in the human plane.
Two months later, Kyran finally stood in front of the door he decided to enter.
True Void sat on his shoulder looking a little nervous which was evident with the crooked forehead on his miniature armor form.
"Are you really sure about this?" True Void asked without looking at Kyran.
"Yes," Kyran replied decisively. "Why are you the one nervous? It's not like you're the one taking the test."
True Void looked at his profile and berated, "Even if I'm not the one taking the test, if you failed, we'll have to complete a task!"
Kyran looked at him from the corner of his eye, "You make it sound as if my predecessor failed on his test."
True Void did not reply.
His silence immediately made Kyran look at him in disbelief, "No way! He failed?"
"So what if he did? I told you the test is not simple! Besides, don't lump my master to the likes of you. He was not a genius nor did he have the support of his father's family. He had always been belittled by others for not possessing any magic. When he did discover he had magic, his peers had already reached a level far above him. No. No. Not just far above. Waaaaaaaay faaaaar above him. Even then, his father's family did not give him any resources to study or understand his magic. He had to strive all by himself!"
Kyran's brow furrowed, he did not realize his predecessor had a hard life even before he was wronged by the Royal Family.
"Was he always alone?" Kyran could not help but ask.
"No. No. He is good friends with Master Zane, Lady Stella, and well that Layla before she showed her whore side—."
True Void abruptly stopped and immediately reached Kyran's ears and shouted, "YOU DID NOT HEAR ME SAY THAT! FORGET IT! FORGET IT NOW! OR I'LL BASH YOUR HEAD HARD UNTIL YOU FORGET IT!"
"Oi!" Kyran grabbed True Void with his left hand and lifted him away, before using his right hand to rub his aching ear. "What's that for?"
True Void struggle in Kyran's hold while saying, "I SAID TO FORGET WHAT I SAID, RIGHT NOW!"
"Alright, alright. Stop overreacting," Kyran said and released him.
True Void hovered before him, "Enough about my master!"
It was him who took the initiative to talk about his master, not Kyran.
Kyran felt wronged. Still, was him agreeing to forget enough?
"Anyway," True Void crossed his arms and returned to sit on Kyran's shoulder.
"My master has—."
Blacklines appeared on Kyran's head.
Did he not say enough about his master? Why was he talking about his master again?
"—gained all his knowledge and experience through hard work. Hard work!" True Void said, failing to notice Kyran's expression.
Kyran sighed and did not say anything.
True Void really placed his predecessor on a very high pedestal. Kyran might not be alone or belittled by his family, but he also worked hard.
'Forget it. True Void probably did not mean to criticize others, and simply want to defend his master,' Kyran thought, not taking offense on True Void's outburst. Apart from this, he added the piece of information about his predecessor in his mind. Right now, he had a clearer image of what kind of person his predecessor was.
"Then I'll work even harder, so we don't have to take the task," Kyran said after a short pause.
"Bahahaha! Good! Good! If you failed, I'll kick your ass!" True Void said, his mood turning 180 degrees all at once.
Kyran only shook his head as he finally moved closer to the door.
The door with the label, Puppetry.