CHAPTER 41: USELESS STRENGTH

[22 years old. You reached 98% of the Vital Purification stage. But your mind wasn’t focused on that. Instead, it was fixated on the problem you had finally managed to narrow down.]

[It was your blood. There was something wrong with it — something missing. But you couldn’t grasp the crux of the issue more specifically.]

[This discovery drove you to the brink of madness. Even then, your training continued.]

[One month later, you finally reached 100% in the Vital Purification stage — but you were unable to advance any further.]

[With the only available path to strength you have, now seemingly cut off, you chose to approach things more logically. You gathered Selena and Lilith once more.]

[You explained your situation, then directly asked them what the problem was. Both remained silent, wearing guilty expressions, offering no answer.]

[Their silence, combined with their behavior, pushed you further toward irritation. And you demanded an answer.]

[But in the end, all they said was that they would try to find a solution.]

[You were on the verge of exploding at such a vague response. But in the end, you held yourself back... and simply left.]

[You returned home, prepared yourself, and then departed — to Italy.]

[You arrived in Florence and began searching for anything abnormal happening there.]

[It didn’t take long. You discovered a series of disappearances that had occurred recently in a certain area. You couldn’t help but grow suspicious — convinced that this might be your target.]

[But before you could make a move, you were interrupted by Selena and Lilith.]

[They had clearly caught on to what you were planning. And both wore grim expressions as they demanded you return with them.]

[You tried to resist, but in the end, Lilith acted. You felt a strange drowsiness creeping over you... until your consciousness faded entirely.]

Everything was going just as he expected.

Noel didn’t find anything particularly strange in the content of the simulation — at least not until he read the part where he became drowsy before losing consciousness.

At that line, his eyebrow lifted slightly, and a faint smile tugged at his lips.

He could see it clearly — his small progress on the Blood Refinement Path had subtly changed the outcome.

Instead of losing consciousness immediately, he was able to endure a tiny bit.

The difference was small... too small.

But after everything, even that slight movement forward felt precious.

And so, in a better mood than before, Noel continued reading.

[When you woke up, you were back in Boston, in your house, and Lilith was beside you.]

[You remained silent, even when Lilith tried to reassure you — telling you that whatever existed inside that dimension, if there was a chance it could help you, she would bring it.]

[But you didn’t care about any of that. Once she was done, you simply kicked her out.]

[Alone again, you vented your anger and helplessness on everything around you.]

[Only after you’d finally calmed down did you return to practicing the Blood Scripture.]

[Even if breaking through to the next stage — Six Gates — was impossible, you could still study the Blood Scripture, still keep moving.]

[Two months passed. Fueled by the hope that you might find a solution hidden somewhere inside the Blood Scripture, you continued practicing and trying to comprehend it. But mastering it, proved even harder than you thought, and you made only minimal progress.]

[And that wasn’t your only concern. During all this time, you didn’t see Selena or Lilith even once after that incident. And when you tried to go back to Italy again — you were stopped by Ryan.]

[Another month passed. Selena and Lilith finally returned, but they were filled with shame as they admitted they had failed to retrieve the Blood Source there — the one thing that might have solved your problem.]

[At that, you clenched your hands but said nothing. You simply spent some quiet time with them.]

Why do they only seem strong when it comes to him...

But when it comes to others, they let their guard down so easily...

And end up looking completely useless?

Noel couldn’t help but wonder that, just for a moment, before returning his focus to the simulation.

[Six months passed. You saw Selena and Lilith less and less with time, and after much probing, you discovered the reason — it was war.]

[A fierce battle had erupted between their side and the Ravelli family, who were competing with them for control over the Inheritance Dimension in Italy.]

[23 years old. You finally made some progress with the Blood Scripture.]

[Four months later, Lilith suddenly visited you, slightly injured, and told you she had something important to take care of — and that she’d be gone for at least a year.]

[You asked why, and after a moment of silence, Lilith said, "To be able to give you everything you want."]

And what do I want...?

Noel found himself wanting to ask Lilith that question directly.

[You seemed taken aback by her answer, but Lilith didn’t elaborate. She simply left.]

[Another four months passed, and this time Selena came to you. She told you that she’d be gone for longer periods from now on, so you shouldn’t worry if you didn’t hear anything from her.]

[You asked again for the reason, but she only laughed — and brushed it off.]

[Selena didn’t leave immediately after that. Instead, she stayed for a few nights... crossing that final line, before she finally departed — clearly satisfied.]

It took this long?

Noel couldn’t help but reflect on how this simulation — despite its lack of major breakthroughs — was still overwhelmingly focused on training...

So much so, that even his relationship with Selena had been delayed until now.

And more surprisingly...

He hadn’t been directly imprisoned even once!

A goal that was never actually a goal — and yet somehow achieved, just like that.

All because he didn’t sleep with Selena?

Even with the "correct answer" right in front of him, Noel couldn’t imagine ever choosing that route intentionally.

Still, that aside...

Wasn’t it starting to seem like he might break his personal record — for how long he’d managed to survive without things falling apart?

And where was the Merrow family?