CHAPTER 265: IS IT REALLY ASTRA PATH?

"I know it doesn’t look fancy, but it does the job." Liora laughed lightly, catching the way Adyr glanced at the signal fire platform.

"Sure, there are Sparks that make communication easier and more efficient. But every skill drains energy. More importantly, every Practitioner only gets a limited number of subdued Spark slots."

It was a fair point. In a world where even the smallest shred of energy could tip the scale between survival and death, wasting it on something like long-range messaging—when a simple fire did the same job—wasn’t just impractical. It was reckless.

Even if the number of available Spark slots increased with each evolution, no serious combatant would ever waste one on something they didn’t need in a fight. That luxury was reserved for support-types, and Liora, with her all-out assault build, was anything but.

The same applied to Adyr. Rank 2 meant just 10 slots, and he was still debating whether to reserve one for an investigative Spark. Sacrificing one for a communication-type? Not even a consideration.

The conversation faded as they stepped inside and made their way down two floors, eventually arriving at a vast lounge hall, far grander than Orven’s guest room. The space had been carefully designed with sweeping arched windows, rich tapestries of ancient Velari battles, and polished obsidian pillars etched with glowing runes. Even the air smelled of lavender and burning cedarwood.

"Make yourself at home. The others shouldn’t take long."

Liora settled into a plush, crescent-shaped chair—clearly her favorite—its deep velvet cushions molding perfectly to her small frame.

Adyr followed, sinking into a wide, low chair across from her. Before the snacks even arrived, the grand double doors swung open with a quiet creak.

Lucen entered. He wore his usual pristine white robes, a long sword strapped neatly across his back. His long black hair flowed behind him with each step, and he walked like someone who had long since stopped questioning authority, because he had become it.

"I saw the red smoke. What’s the emergency?"

His voice was calm, emotionless, just like his face. But the fact that he’d rushed over so quickly said more than any shift in expression ever could.

"The kingdom isn’t under threat," Liora answered smoothly, her gaze flicking past him to the maids now entering with silver trays. "But it’s important. Let’s wait for the others. Tea first."

Lucen scanned the room, then nodded once.

"This is... calming." His words came flatly, his expression unchanged—as always. Even Adyr, sharp as he was, still struggled to read this man’s face.

Lucen settled into one of the armchairs, his movements fluid and unhurried. He accepted the teacup handed to him without a glance, but his eyes locked onto Adyr.

"Do you mind a spar after this?"

He didn’t show it—not through his face nor his posture—but the offer said enough. Lucen had clearly noticed the change in him. The improvement. His way of acknowledging it wasn’t through praise or curiosity, but through challenge.

"Of course. I believe I still have much to learn from you."

Adyr accepted the offered tea, the porcelain warm between his fingers, along with the invitation to spar. Truth be told, if Lucen hadn’t brought it up, he would have. He needed to gauge how far he’d come, and there was no better measure than this sword-obsessed lunatic.

Lucen wasn’t just any Rank 3. He was nearing the peak, which made him the perfect opponent.

The conversation paused when the doors burst open again with a loud bang.

"Sissss—what happened? Are we under attack?!"

Mirela stormed in like a sudden gust of color. Her rainbow-hued hair trailed behind her in fluttering waves, eyes wide, sweeping the room in rapid, frantic passes.

"What is this? I thought red meant something life-threatening?" She came to a halt the moment her eyes landed on the relaxed figures, sipping tea and nibbling on pastries like it was a lazy afternoon gathering.

Liora didn’t even flinch. "Relax. It’s not that kind of emergency. But it’s important. Sit. We’re waiting on Malrik."

Mirela hesitated, clearly still rattled, then let out a huff. "Okay...?"

Her eyes flicked around the room and stopped, locked onto Adyr.

"Heyyy, let me guess. This is about you, isn’t it?"

She crossed the room in brisk, light steps—almost like a skip—then grabbed the nearest velvet armchair and dragged it a little closer to him with a swift tug. Dropping into the seat sideways, she leaned one elbow on the armrest, her chin cradled in her palm. Her eyes locked onto him, bright and mischievous, and the subtle smirk on her lips made it clear—she already knew he was the reason for the meeting.

"Maybe." Adyr took another slow sip of his tea, savoring the taste, completely unmoved by her playful attempts to draw his attention.

Instead of discouraging her, his indifference seemed to have the opposite effect. Mirela’s rainbow-colored eyes gleamed even brighter, as if his lack of reaction didn’t cool her down at all—in fact, it only seemed to fuel her, making the game that much more exciting.

"Am I late? Did something bad happen?" The doors opened again, and this time, Malrik entered. His black hair, streaked with gray, gave him a distinguished, middle-aged appearance. However, his usual charismatic aura was masked by a rush of urgency, likely the result of his swift response to the signal.

"Come, come, nothing to worry about, take a seat." Mirela gestured with her hand, never pulling her gaze from Adyr’s calm face as he sipped his tea.

"Lady Liora?" Malrik paused for a moment, his reaction mirroring the others’. He hadn’t expected to walk into a relaxed environment after seeing the red smoke signal.

But as he took in Liora’s calm demeanor, he seemed to relax. Clearly, the situation was not life-threatening, at least not for now.

With the last practitioner entering and taking a seat, his expression skeptical, the room fell into a heavy silence. Lucen’s voice finally cut through, steady and devoid of emotion. "So, what is the matter?"

Liora remained silent for a moment, feeling the weight of all the gazes on her, letting the tension in the room build before speaking casually, as if the news were of little consequence. "Adyr awakened another bloodline talent and wants me to fight and attempt to subdue Colossith with the help of this new ability."

Her eyes scanned the shocked faces around her, a satisfied smile curling her lips. They looked just like she had when she first heard the news, and that satisfaction lingered in her gaze.

"Lady Liora, what do you mean he awakened another bloodline talent? Is this even possible?" Even Lucen’s usually emotionless face now showed a flicker of shock and disbelief, betraying just how absurd the idea sounded to him.

"I didn’t know it was possible either, but apparently, it is. We have a living example right here." Liora responded with a slight shrug.

Their knowledge of the Elder races was limited, and what little they did know focused on the possibility of awakening bloodline talents through a divine blood connection to the gods. The idea that someone could awaken more than one bloodline talent had never even crossed their minds. After all, each bloodline talent, like a Spark innate ability, granted immense power on its own.

"So, what is it?" Lucen asked, his attention now fully on Adyr. It was clear that, having come to terms with the situation, he was eager to see the talent Adyr had awakened.

Without keeping them waiting, Adyr chose to demonstrate rather than explain, activating Grace.

As Adyr calmly sipped his tea, his body suddenly shimmered as if an illusion had overtaken him, a faint light wrapping around him. Then, a soft, calming light—like the first rays of morning—began to fill the room, its source impossible to trace.

"Is this your ability?" Mirela noticed the shift in the room’s atmosphere, glancing around, still unsure of what was happening. But soon, the light began to focus on her, and her body trembled lightly, as if a refreshing breeze were gently brushing against her skin.

"This is a healing ability?" she asked, recognizing the sensation. As someone who specialized in healing and support builds, she immediately felt the effects of the divine light on her body. But something about it felt different from any healing Spark skill she had ever encountered.

It wasn’t just her physical wounds—both old and new—that were regenerating. Her soul felt nourished, her mind solidified, like it was maturing under the light. Her very existence seemed to be restructuring, becoming more solid, more defined.

It’s not healing at all. It’s fucking rebirth. Mirela’s rainbow eyes widened as she stared at the young man sitting before her, completely still and serene, as if the world around him had never shifted.

"This is crazy," Lucen muttered, his brow furrowing slightly as he processed the feeling. "I don’t get it... How can I feel my body regenerating so fast, and at the same time, my mind and soul are being renewed just as much?"

At his words, the others shared a look, their expressions filled with confusion. Liora, her voice steady but thoughtful, responded, "That’s exactly what I’ve been wondering. It’s like this ability isn’t just tied to Astra, affecting the physical. It’s as if it’s touching on Aether—the spiritual essence—and even the rebirth of Nether, along with the movement that comes from Ignis."

With Liora’s comment on his ability and her logical explanation, Adyr suddenly felt a tension in his shoulders. He hadn’t expected them to go this far, analyzing his ability and connecting it to the other paths.

A sudden thought crossed his mind. Is my cover finally starting to crack?