'I had killed both of these guys using Reen, thinking I had skipped battling with them. But who knew they would have their revenge like this by teaming up with each other to take me down?'
Just when Ronny was done pondering to himself the shitty luck he had faced so far and preparing to launch a frontal attack on his two opponents, he heard Layla's voice that had returned to her childish tone:
'Hold it, hold it, Eren Idril. It'll be too difficult for you to win like this. Wait a moment, I'll give you something from my personal collection.'
Layla said and fell silent again. The next thing Ronny knew, there was an invisible array getting drawn over the ground he was standing on. An array that only he could see. This was the same array the dungeon had used to make the participants' rewards appear in their personal storage.
Ronny understood that Layla had sent something to his personal storage. As he hurriedly sent his mana sense into his storage. He expected to find an artefact or weapon that would help him deal with two E-Rank apparitions that had been blessed with higher ranking status than him.
'That's it? A potion?'
Ronny thought and felt disappointed. Layla sensed his emotions and responded irritatingly:
'You dare treat this as some stamina potion? Hmph! Thank you lucky stars I gave you this concoction.
From what I've observed about the rankers' standards of the present times, you guys don't have anything like these. At least, the concoction won't be available for guys like you, who were used as guinea pigs to farm this dungeon.
This is called the Potion of Serenity. Even during my master's time, it was extremely rare.
It should only be used sparingly, otherwise, your mana core won't be able to handle the disturbance in the mana circuits it creates.
The potion will aid you in gaining insights into your element, enabling you to wield your element eventually. It'll also help you bring out the true potential of your rank by sending your mana core into an agitated state.'
Layla sounded as if someone had belittled her toys in front of her. Ronny couldn't help but continue his ridicule some more after hearing about the former's explanation:
'It's not like I can start meditation hereafter gulping the potion down my throat while my opponents are waiting for me to finish processing whatever insights I gain. There are other, better ways to help me, you know.
Just give me an OP weapon or something already. Why should Ken Riverine have all the luck? Let me feel like I'm the protagonist of my own story at least once.'
Ronny replied in equal annoyance. Layla's irritation grew as the former reciprocated her feelings.
'Listen to me, you shameless, gutless man. I don't know what problems you have with this Ken guy, but don't take that out on me. I've already done enough by offering you something like the Potion of Serenity.
The Potion of Serenity will help you capture the true essence of all your life experiences as a ranker. It works the most effective when it is taken for the first time. The beneficial effects decrease and the *cough* side effects increase *cough* with repeated use, especially if the potion is taken again in a short timespan.
You don't need to meditate after taking the potion. It is supposed to be consumed while you are in the middle of a serious battle. That is the most preferred way to get the maximum benefits out of this potioning wonder.'
Ronny scratched his chin when he heard Layla expounding on the potion and started processing it slowly in his head. He zeroed in on one fleeting warning made by the latter:
'Hmm? What side effects? And why are you helping me so much? What's your cut in all this?'
The butcher would always suspect something was fishy when someone was being overly helpful towards him. He had completely stopped believing that people could help him out of the nicety of their hearts.
'There are no side effects you should be worried about right now. Just take the damn potion already. And I'm always helpful, Eren Idril. I always have been. Not everyone is like you, you know.'
Ronny spat on the ground when he heard that. He responded right afterwards:
'I can recognize a fellow bullshitter when I see one. Out with it, Layla. Why are you helping me? Otherwise, I'll quit this battle. I don't care about the repercussions or rewards. My life is more meaningful to me.'
Layla seemed to have panicked when she heard the word 'quit' from Ronny's mouth. She sighed deeply before confiding in him:
'Alright, alright. The thing is, I'm bored and want to get out of this place. Explore the outside world. Have you ever wondered how long I've been trapped in this dimension? Too long, too much, I tell you.
And you are my key to getting out of here. I'm raising your chances to win something substantial here that can help you in your solo battles in the tower.
The tower battles would be too difficult for you to handle otherwise in your current situation. Don't think tower battles will be as easy as what you are facing here. You could even die inside the tower if you aren't prepared.
I need you to perform well in your tower battles and get the mark as a reward, Eren Idril. Due to your half-blood status, you are my only hope of getting the true inheritance of this place. Why do you think I contacted you first?
With that mark, I'll be able to leave the place with you. It's my get-out-of-jail card.
Of course, I cannot directly help you in battles because of the restrictions placed on me by my master. So the Potion of Serenity is the compromise I've come up with without making my involvement overtly obvious to the dungeon mechanism.'
…
'Oh! So this little ghost wants to leave the place with me.'
Ronny thought and pondered over all the other details Layla had shared with him.
Layla expected Ronny to pull out of the battle when she told him he could die exploring the separate dimension. But contrary to her explanation, the latter flashed a content smile before retrieving the Potion of Serenity from his storage.
He uncorked the vial and addressed Layla before consuming the potion in one go:
'I'm relieved now that I heard your ulterior motive, Layla. My faith in you has been restored. I will never put my faith in others' goodness. But with your self-interests linked to my winning, I can finally get on with the program.
You called me gutless, right? I think you've misunderstood my stance. My life is not so cheap as to expose myself to unnecessary dangers I can avoid.
But for the right price and right rewards, I, Eren Idril, will not hesitate to shed my blood and put my life on the line.'
Ronny said and gulped down the Potion of Serenity. It tasted like water to him, leaving the minty flavour and effect behind as an aftertaste. The next thing Ronny knew, his mana circuits and his mana core had started becoming restless.
His vision was also getting hazy as if he was drunk on the most potent booze of his rank. He felt that his mind was vaguely connected to something greater than his existence.
The butcher was no stranger to the feeling. He had already experienced the state of epiphany. He was experiencing exactly that feeling right now. But the effects were diluted and different.
Suddenly scenes from his past appeared in his mind as though some sort of image-viewer had malfunctioned and displayed loads of images all at once.
Ronny felt delirious and in control simultaneously. He then looked at his two opponents that had been inactive so far, as if waiting for him to make a move.
Ronny started having weird ideas in his head. The concepts of lightning, fire, and time were creating a cocktail of comprehension for him that he had started digesting slowly but surely.
'The lightning tells me to be fast.'
Ronny executed Blitz Steps while under the effects of the potion. But there was something different in this execution. The tongues of lightning that had coated his lower legs seemed tamer than before. They also changed their hue from dark blue to light blue before turning it into turquoise.
But that was not all. This time, unbeknownst to Ronny and most of his audience, the tip of his toes had changed into lightning sparks. As the claws extended out of the shoe, they looked like claws of some beast peeking through the toe-cap.
'The fire tells me to burn everything.'
Ronny cast the fire-snake spell on both his hands. This time, instead of wrapping around the butcher's arms, the snakes manifested themselves over his hand in such a way that it appeared as if the snakes had replaced his arms.
'The time tells me everything converges and diverges at some point.'
Sedated Perception and Stunning Speed had been executed simultaneously. It seemed this time that the effects of both spells were synergistic. The almost-stagnant world around him looked clearer and more vivid to him.
It seemed to him that quite a while had passed. But in reality, only a few seconds had passed since Ronny's first spell execution. He became a blur to his audience soon after.
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AN: Running late today.. One more chapter will be released in a few hours.