CHAPTER 280: NOT A VELARI?

Adyr began once again to examine the details of the appearance.

Like all Umbraen, Kharom possessed unnaturally pale, sick-looking white skin. His eyes were entirely black, lacking visible pupils, and the black, reptilian scales that ran from his chest to his neck—a hereditary trait inherited from his grandfather Sevrak—marked him unmistakably as part of a noble bloodline.

Unlike Thalira Luna, whose Rank 2 Practitioner evolution had left no visible marks on her physique, Kharom’s evolution had introduced subtle physical differences. Beyond the racial traits of his people, his body bore minor variations resulting from his evolutionary steps.

The report indicated faintly glowing, purplish veins pulsing across Kharom’s back and chest. Adyr instantly recognized these as a clear sign of a completed Spark evolution.

He methodically scanned his memory for Nether Path Sparks that could account for this specific physical change and narrowed it down to 5 possibilities. Careful analysis immediately highlighted one Spark standing out above the rest.

"Venomous Centipede, huh?" Adyr murmured.

The Venomous Centipede Spark was a Rank 2 Spark. When harnessed as a skill, it allowed the user to absorb toxins. In Kharom’s case, he had utilized this Spark during his evolution to Rank 2, and Adyr deduced that it now granted him natural immunity to poisons, as well as the ability to absorb them into his body.

So he’s exceptionally resilient against poison-based attacks, Adyr concluded. Understanding an opponent’s strengths and weaknesses always gave one a crucial advantage, and this knowledge was valuable.

Turning his attention to Kharom’s social life, Adyr noted that, although Kharom was not particularly social within the Umbra Kingdom, he was nonetheless strangely popular among the people.

Unlike the Velari Kingdom, where Liora and other Practitioners remained detached from governance, leaving the king’s role to a mortal, Vale Von Velaris, the Umbra Kingdom was fully ruled by Practitioners, with Sevrak acting as the sole king and absolute ruler.

Umbraens followed the Nether Path and worshipped the goddess Nethera, treating death and rebirth as sacred doctrines. This philosophy shaped a culture in which every death was celebrated as a form of entertainment.

Each month, citizens gathered in the kingdom’s center to witness executions of those convicted of moderate to severe crimes. These events were organized as public spectacles, turning punishment into celebration.

Kharom’s popularity stemmed directly from this tradition. Despite his generally reserved nature, he personally executed many of these criminals, often killing hundreds before the eyes of the public. This even earned him the title of "Hand of Death and Rebirth," a figure both respected and admired by the populace.

Adyr considered other minor details but found nothing further of significance—anything useful had already been deduced through his personal observations.

Pride. Overconfidence. Recklessness. He moves like he doesn’t expect consequences. His body resists poison. Every skill he wields carries corrosive, venomous effects. By PTF standards, his durability is over 3,000—nearly double mine. In combat, he can turn his entire body into a corrosive liquid, making him almost impossible to hit. Mobility, escape, defense—they come naturally.

Adyr classified all these traits in his mind before moving on to the third individual on the list, another candidate who had also captured his interest.

Throgar Gorat—a young and exceptionally promising Rank 2 Practitioner from the Gorathim race.

Physically, the Gorathim were massive, reaching up to 5 meters in height, heavily built, with tough gray skin. Even ordinary mortals of their race were born far stronger than the average mortal from other races, making them formidable even without any training.

Yet what drew Adyr’s attention was not just their raw strength. Though naturally one of the strongest races at birth, the Gorathim were unusual: they followed the Aether Path, worshipping Goddess Aetheris, embodying everything spiritual, and their racial stat was [Sense].

Adyr had seen a few Gorathim Practitioners in the market before who looked like Ogres. Rare, but enough for him to notice.

At first glance, he had assumed them to be Nether Path followers with [Resilience] or Astra Path followers with [Physique]

. Now he realized how wrong that assumption had been—their racial stat was [Sense], and they followed the Aether Path.

Reports confirmed it: the Gorathim were one of the most secluded races. Their society was largely hidden from outsiders, and the structure of their kingdom remained a mystery. Few details were known, but one stood out—the Gorathim claimed descent from an Elder Race called the Gemrach, famous for their twin-headed ogres.

Adyr’s mind flashed back to Maruun’s words when he had purchased the Mindrake Spark to trigger his own second evolution. He had emphasized just how rare and extraordinary these twin-headed ogres were. Recalling his reactions and tone, Adyr recognized the significance immediately.

If Throgar Gorat truly traced his lineage to such an Elder Race, even partially, it meant the possibility—however slim—that he possessed a bloodline talent. And Adyr knew better than anyone that even the smallest possibility could not be ignored. With four bloodline talents of his own, he understood how unique and formidable these abilities could be.

A faint smile curved his lips. " This Legacy Domain is going to be interesting." He activated his Burst Hop skill, accelerating as he surged across the dark sky. Each leap sent booming echoes through the heavens, reverberating like distant thunder.

The upcoming event promised more than just rare treasures and powerful Sparks. It offered formidable opponents, unpredictable challenges, and—though he would never admit it aloud—a spark of excitement building quietly inside him.

—

As Adyr surged through the dark sky, chasing after the others, Collossith ran relentlessly on its four legs, each step shaking the ground and sky.

"Lady Liora, what do you mean I should withdraw? That I shouldn’t join the Legacy Domain?" Malrik asked, perched cross-legged on Collossith’s massive head, his eyes fixed on Liora, who sat on her bed, small and serious, her expression resolute, as he tried to understand her words.

Liora sighed at his reaction and explained, "Malrik, I don’t want to be harsh, but you need to face reality. This event exceeds your potential and strength. If you enter that dimension, you will most likely lose your life."

Her words were as blunt as possible, yet her tone remained gentle and caring—every sentence spoken with the intention of protecting a friend.

Malrik paused, swallowing hard, knowing the bitter truth in her words. Even younger than him, Lucen and Mirela had reached Rank 3 years ago, while he remained Rank 2. There was no sign he would ever achieve Rank 3.

"I know that, but..." Malrik lowered his head. "Are you sure you want to send Adyr alone?"

Even here, his thoughts went first to Adyr—the brother he had come to see as family, whose well-being mattered above all.

"That’s exactly why I don’t want you participating," Liora said calmly. "With his power right now, I believe he will be more than safe on his own."

Malrik’s expression tightened; his brows furrowed as he processed her words. His presence would do more to hinder than help Adyr. Though a bitter feeling rose within him, he nodded in reluctant acceptance.

"I just can’t believe how strong he’s become in such a short time. He’s a genius... a once-in-a-million Velari," he muttered, a bitter chuckle laced with frustration and pride.

"Well, calling him fully Velari might not be entirely accurate," Lucen interjected calmly from a corner, sitting cross-legged while tending to his sword, his tone casual but his words shocking.

"What do you mean?" Malrik spun toward him, stunned.

"Lucen, how many times do I need to tell you? When you make a joke, at least smile a little so we can tell whether you’re serious or joking," Mirela snapped irritably, assuming this was just one of his attempts at humor.

Yet Liora’s gaze and tone supported Lucen. "He’s right," she said, lifting her head to survey the faces around her, her hair whipping in the wind. "At least, I believe he isn’t completely Velari."