Chapter 191
For now, he put the matter related to hearts aside and focused on the next thing….
The abyssal arts he was presented with revolved around a sword technique that uses Abyss energy as its foundation.
It was expected since Evelyn had also learned a sword technique.
There were no examples or descriptions given about how powerful it would be once mastered.
The sword technique was called [Neglegentis].
Apparently, it was a technique derived from a part of the constellation of the Trident.
Oliver exhaled deeply. His breath misted in the cool air, a visible manifestation of the weight of the revelation.
He didn’t feel as surprised as he had expected from such a revelation. He had already suspected that since there was a fantasy world like this, then there ought to be more planets out there with their own worlds.
He felt that he had received this information quite easily, and it was indeed a burden that was quite heavy for him to carry.
For the system to grant him a technique belonging to another civilization—or perhaps another world—signaled that there were worlds out there that had developed powers strong enough to be recognized by the verse.
A spark of excitement flared in his chest, a fire kindled by the idea of such immense possibilities. His blood was boiling with excitement, but he suppressed himself from getting too carried away. In the end, he was still considered an ant in the grand scheme of things.
Let alone the other worlds, he could not even boast about his safety in his own world. There were terrifying demons and exorcists that could topple the course of nature with their strength. He didn’t know how they compared to vast powers outside, but he knew that it was a matter that didn’t need his immediate attention.
Right now, his goal should be to become stronger—strong enough to be free in this world, so that he could take actions without worrying too much about consequences and his safety.
If he could not even reach that level, then there was no point in thinking outside.
There were still many things that he could explore.
The Abyss sword arts [Neglegentis] had a total of seven stages to master.
This time, rather than the complete mastery of the technique, the system instead rewarded him with knowledge about all seven stages and how he could train and progress through them.
All the materials he would need, all the environments he might require, and the added conditions for using the technique were provided.
He had received all of this information rather than the already mastered technique.
This meant one thing: that the technique Evelyn had managed to learn, the first level of the divine sword arts, after its value was increased tenfold by the system, only amounted to the knowledge of the [Neglegentis] technique.
Which essentially meant that the system had determined that the tenfold reward would only amount to this much. Usually, he would have been rewarded with a fully mastered technique ingrained in his muscles and memory.
He was used to being handed power on a silver platter; this time, it seemed the system was nudging him toward a more difficult, but perhaps more rewarding, path.
However, this time, the only thing he received was intensive knowledge about this mysterious Abyssal Art [Neglegentis], which surprised him.
But nonetheless, since he had already received the full knowledge of the Abyssal Art, he did not mind. It was an extremely comprehensive sword art focused on the negative energy of the universe.
Each strike from [Neglegentis] is like the concentrated force of a collapsing star, dense with destructive potential.
In fact, just as its name suggests, the technique was derived from a dwarf star.
From the information he received, he even got the exact space coordinates of the dwarf star.
It is part of the constellation of the Trident. It appears in the North Quadrant at right ascension 19h 91.41m and declination 31° 98.86′.
‘Well…’
He doubted if this information would ever be useful to him, so he did not focus much on it.
“According to the technique, it requires me to not only forge my own sword but also grow it while mastering the art…”
The idea of forging and growing a weapon of his own, one that would evolve with him, sent a thrill of anticipation through him.
‘Stage 1 is called Initiation of the Voidborn. The materials it requires are Void Crystal Shards…’
‘Void Crystal Shards… are basically remnants of shattered stars, found in the deepest voids of space. They are infused with primordial darkness.’
“It’s basically impossible for me to get such a thing. The first stage is insane.”
‘Well, it would have been impossible if an alternative hadn’t been provided. According to it, a material called Void Dust can also be used as a replacement. This Void Dust could be collected from ancient meteorites that have drifted through the void of space for a certain period of time. These dust particles carry a faint trace of the void’s negative energy and are easier to obtain and handle compared to the shards.’
“I think I can find some on the auction market.”
Oliver pondered with a deep look on his face.
His mind was already racing, strategizing on how to acquire the necessary materials.
“Interestingly enough, even the environment required for completing the first stage is something impossible for the current me to obtain.”
“However, since it’s like this, I can adapt another environment that I can find here. A moonless night—the initiation must take place under the cover of a moonless night, where darkness is at its peak. I would need to meditate in an open space; the stillness of the night will help me sync my mind with the negative energy in the surroundings.”
“Hahaha,” Oliver suddenly laughed aloud as he looked at the sky.
The absurdity of the situation struck him—a boy, standing on the precipice of cosmic power, laughing under a sky indifferent to his ambitions.
He had information about the later stages as well and knew just how absurd the environment would need to be in the future to master this sword art.
“Such a terrifying power…” he said to himself, looking at his hand as a smartphone appeared in his grasp.