'Half-blood? What does that mean?'
Ronny raised his eyebrows. He wasn't sure if he had heard this term in either timeline.
'That's right. A half-blood. What do guys call it these days? Oh yes! A demi-human.'
Ronny narrowed his eyes when he heard Layla say that. She, as the caretaker of this place that has existed for who knows how long, must know some crucial information. the kind of information the current population was denied access to.
Layla had approached him first. He might as well try and get some intel on missing pieces of continental history JJ Edgar was talking about in his personal diary:
'What can you tell me about this so-called half-blood existence?"
Layla became quiet after Ronny asked the question. Just when the latter thought he wouldn't gain any information from her, she replied in a melancholic tone:
"Half-blood clans were once thriving on this continent. There was no ranker in existence that didn't know about their rise to prominence when it was their era. Too bad none of them are in this world anymore. Except you, of course.'
Ronny raised his eyebrows again. But before he could ask Layla any more questions regarding the missing history, she spoke in a soft childish voice again:
'Enough talk about the past we can't change. Chop chop, Eren Idril. You have a test to finish here.
What I wanted to say was you can use inherent spells if you're half-blood, right? Use them. You can rely on them to get you through the current challenge.
Ronny had a blank face when he heard Layla's suggestion. He tried to explain to the former why he couldn't do what she had expected from him:
'Layla, as easy as it might sound coming from you, let me come clean in saying that I only have one inherent spell I know of currently. And that is not something I can use against this guy.
And how can inherent spells help in fighting something like elemental fusion? They don't seem much different to me if you ignore their obvious peculiarity.'
Ronny heard a female voice when he finished asking the question. But it wasn't from Layla. Lady Zee had been tired of waiting. And she let her displeasure known:
"Ronny, what's the hold-up? Finish your battle, will you? It's fine if you only have one win. I'll take care of the rest and make sure we pass this round. So don't worry."
Lady Zee thought that Ronny had gotten cold after he realized that his opponent could perform the elemental fusion. He couldn't blame the guy. She would probably hesitate to fight too if she were in his shoes.
Then she calmed down and analyzed the situation. Her prior experience told her that the dungeon would never rig a match so much that the participants would have almost zero chance of success. She knew there had to be some catch involved.
She wanted to figure that out by battling with her opponent that could use elemental fusion as well. Maybe she could gain some insights after fighting with them.
"Oh! It's nothing, Lady Zee. I was just trying to catch my breath. I'll start my test in a few moments. Just hold on."
Ronny bought a few minutes for himself before using the same to continue his discussion with Layla.
'Layla, please answer my question.'
Ronny pleaded with Layla to hurry up and finish up whatever she had approached him for. The latter had regained her nonchalance by now. She replied to him casually:
'Look Eren, anything that has to do with the way of the elements can only be dealt with the way of the elements. A half-blood is blessed with a shortcut when it comes to wielding its elements. They just need to utilize the power of their blood to cast inherent spells.
The inherent spells are based on the way of the elements from their get-go whether you completely understand it or not. Therefore, you can say that a half-blood starts wielding their elements as soon as they break into the F-Rank.
When my master had created this separate dimension, the half-blood rankers were a normal thing. And he would have preferred one of them to become his successor as well.
So he had programmed the dungeon mechanism in such a way that the half-bloods would only receive the tests that were meant to be taken by them. And something like dealing with elemental fusion was a no biggie for half-blood rankers.'
Ronny pondered for a while before replying:
'So that means I received this test because the dungeon thinks that I'm qualified to follow through with it because of my status as a half-blood. But I keep on telling you, this whole thing about being a demi-human or whatever you call it is fairly new to me.
I wouldn't be able to use my inherent spell against this kind of opponent. The most I can do is copy the physical traits of an anthrope on a superficial level when I cast my spell and make physical contact with them. I don't think the way of the elements is something I can copy and reproduce.
I'm guessing you are aware of how sensitive my status as a demi-human is these days. So you would understand when I say that I wouldn't use my inherent spell in front of the audience. Even when I knew I could use it to defeat this guy.
I don't have the habit of creating more mess in the future just to take care of the current situation.'
Ronny made her position known to Layla. Shortly thereafter, the latter responded in a disappointing tone.
'Haash! The half-bloods would weep if they came to know the current standards and paranoid nature of the last kin they have left on this continent.
Alright, I can make your squad members disappear from their current positions and keep them away from you till you finish your test.'
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AN: Thanks Daoist930799 for giving VEH its first dragon.