CHAPTER 246: _GETTING STRONGER

Elian’s POV

*****

When Lucian left him in his room, Elian stood, back pressed against the door. He closed his eyes, taking in slow and steady breaths.

"So... So you still can’t figure out what that vision in Lucian’s room was about?" He asked the system, opening his eyes again.

[Nothing other than what I already mentioned. I couldn’t reach you during it. Couldn’t even access your mind to see what the vision was about.]

Each sentence from the system added a thicker layer of dread until Elian felt like he was suffocating.

He stepped away from the door, placing one hand on his chest while the other rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

[It was almost as if your consciousness left your body. Like those times when you left your body to visit Kyren.]

An out-of-body experience?

"Could this mean what I saw might’ve been happening in real life? In the moment?" Elian thought out loud, his mind reeling. "It... It felt like something from the past. Those screams. Those—"

[Alright, you’re derailing. Do you mind sharing what you saw, fruitcake? Who knows? I might be able to decipher its meaning.]

Elian highly doubted that. But at this point, his choices were minimal at best.

"It was a forest. Under the cover of night." He began, taking slow steps toward his bed. "I heard screams. One was male and the other was female. They seemed to be calling out a name, but it wasn’t clear enough."

His limbs shook, fear gripping him when he remembered more.

"Then came the strong stench of blood followed by terrified screams. I also heard something like claws tearing through flesh." A chill ran down his spine, forcing him to hug himself. "And then there was him. A little boy with blonde white hair and violet eyes—"

[You saw yourself? That’s a basic description of you.]

"I have no clue." Elian shook his head. "But I know what I felt when his gaze met mine. It was this deep feeling. Like I was regaining pieces I didn’t know I’d lost..."

Sitting on the edge of his bed, he rubbed the back of his neck, crossing one leg on top of the other. The room was dimly lit. And lonely as fuck.

[Hey! Does my presence mean nothing to you?]

"You’re just a voice in my head."

[Last I checked... You’re the one who told Lucian to leave you alone tonight. And also the one who decided to keep Kyren at arm’s length.]

Kyren—

He suddenly remembered the last conversation he had with the Rogue King outside the palace. A conversation that completely tilted his perspective on everything.

"You’re the result of the Ascension protocol experiments." Kyren’s voice still lingered in his mind like an echo forgotten in time. "You’re the being they experimented on to one day control the divine crystal buried in the Dark Lands."

Hearing those words made Elian think of one thing and one thing only.

He might need to stay the fuck away from the Dark Lands.

But then he had already begun enjoying his time there. It was the one place where he felt accepted and never looked down on simply because of his omega status.

He groaned, running both hands through his hair as he stared up at the ceiling. "Maybe I really am cursed."

[Not cursed. Just unlucky, fruitcake.]

Elian rolled his eyes. "Same difference."

He pushed himself off the bed, pacing slowly as the system stayed quiet for once.

The thought of being some sort of centuries-old experiment gnawed at his insides like a festering wound. If he really was the result of this "Ascension Protocol," then who the hell was he before all this?

Still a wolf? A witch? Something else entirely?

And if Kyren’s mother wanted to take him away... what did that even mean for his future?

He sighed deeply, stopping by one of the windows. The moonlight bathed the room in soft silver. He needed something—anything—to get his mind off the chaos clawing at his brain.

And then the thought hit him.

"System."

[Yes, your grace of endless overthinking?]

"I still have those Ascension points left, don’t I?"

[You mean the measly one-thousand and fifty points you’ve been hoarding like a dragon? Yeah, they’re gathering dust.]

A small smirk tugged at his lips. "Open the Ascension shop."

[You sure? We both know your self-control is nonexistent when that window pops up.]

"Just do it."

With a mechanical hum, a glowing holographic interface materialised before him, lines of pale blue light flickering into view.

Rows upon rows of shimmering icons hovered in the air, each pulsing faintly— from potions, enhancement stones, scrolls, even weapon blueprints. But only one caught his attention.

[Mana Core (Beginner Level) – 1000 Ascension Points.]

Elian stared at it, heartbeat quickening.

"...A mana core."

[You’ve been eyeing that one for a while.]

"I need it," he said firmly. "I can’t just keep depending on my instincts and the Bond Resonance skill. Garrick is out there, the Dark Hand is plotting, and I can’t even protect myself properly."

[Correction—you barely can. You’re getting stronger, sure, but raw potential without stability is like juggling fireballs blindfolded.]

"Then this will fix it."

The system hummed. [It’ll give you a foundation, yes. But remember—it’s a beginner core. You’ll need to strengthen it. Good thing you still have those two mana boosters I gave you earlier.]

Elian nodded slowly. "Right."

[Using both will push the core close to its next stage. Almost like giving your heart two shots of caffeine and hoping it doesn’t explode.]

"...Thanks for the confidence."

[Always here to uplift, sunshine.]

Elian exhaled through his nose, hand hovering over the glowing purchase icon. "Alright. Let’s do this."

The instant he confirmed the purchase, the screen flashed with a brighter light. A surge of energy whirled around him, pulling the air taut. The light condensed into a small orb—a pulsing violet gem radiating warmth and power.

It floated toward him before he could react.

The moment it touched his chest, he gasped. "Ah—!"

The core shot through his skin, embedding itself deep within.

His body seized as a violent pulse tore through him.

A strange thrum echoed from inside his ribcage like a second heartbeat. Purple veins of light spread across his chest, snaking down his arms, his neck, his very soul.

"Elian, you’re fine," he muttered to himself through gritted teeth.

But damn, it hurt.

It felt like fire and electricity fused, burning and mending all at once. Then the light stabilised, dimming into faint violet patterns under his skin before fading entirely.

When he opened his eyes again, everything felt different.

The air seemed sharper. The faint hum of the palace wards outside was clearer. Even his heartbeat synced to a deeper rhythm, steady and powerful.

He fell back onto the bed, breathing hard. "Holy shit..."

[Congratulations. You are now officially the proud owner of a functioning mana core. Try not to die from excitement.]

Elian chuckled weakly. "You know me too well."

[Now—about those boosters.]

He lifted his gaze, and two glowing orbs appeared before him. They looked like squishy gumdrops made of starlight.

[Chew. Don’t swallow whole, unless you enjoy internal combustion.]

Elian didn’t hesitate. He popped the first one into his mouth and bit down.

Instantly, energy exploded across his senses.

The mana core within him flared to life, sending ripples of power through his body. He screamed through gritted teeth, clutching his chest as the purple glow returned, brighter than ever. The second booster only amplified it—his body tensing, his veins thrumming with raw energy.

His muscles ached. His vision blurred. And then—

Everything snapped.

The pain vanished. His breathing steadied. And deep within, the core pulsed stronger—still beginner-level, but denser, richer.

It was as if his mana had finally awakened.

[Not bad, fruitcake. Your mana density just increased by about forty per cent. You’re basically a walking magical battery now.]

Elian sat up, still panting but smiling faintly. "So... I’m getting stronger?"

[You’re getting started.]

He leaned back, staring at the ceiling again. "Finally. Maybe I can actually sleep tonight knowing I won’t die useless."

[Oh, I wouldn’t sleep yet if I were you.]

Elian froze. "...What now?"

A new screen appeared in front of his face.

[New Mission Unlocked: Strengthen your Mana Core.

Objective: Find new methods to enhance your core and apply them within one week.

Reward: System upgrade.

Failure: Core degradation by 10%.]

He sat up straight. "Wait—degradation?! You’re threatening me now?"

[Motivating you. There’s a difference.]

Elian scowled. "And what exactly does a ’system upgrade’ even mean? Are you going to grow a sense of humour?"

[Funny. But no. It means my processing speed and access protocols will expand. I’ll be able to analyse higher-tier energy signatures... maybe even peek deeper into your soul.]

"My soul?"

[Yes, darling. And if I can do that... maybe we can finally find out who you really are.]

The words hung in the air like a silent storm.

Elian’s pulse quickened again, but not from magic this time.

"Who I really am..." he whispered, his gaze drifting toward the window—the moonlight hitting his violet eyes, glinting with both fear and hope.

The system’s voice dropped low.

[Something tells me the truth isn’t buried in the Dark Lands, Elian. It’s buried in you.]

And just like that, the air around him grew colder—his core pulsing in eerie rhythm to the night outside, as if responding to something unseen.