In the early morning, sunlight streamed through the crevices of the leaf-paneled window, projecting a beam of light into the treehouse, filled with suspended dust.
Tiny particles drifted lazily in the beam, like captive stardust, serene and ethereal.
Seated cross-legged on the bed, Anton opened his eyes and let out a long breath.
After a full night of cultivation, his mastery of the Five Elements Flame Transformation Skill had deepened.
’A few more months, and I should be able to condense the Five Elements True Flame.’
Anton glanced down at his lap, where a branch, not quite the length of his palm, lay quietly.
Its entire length glowed with a soft, pale green luster. Intricate patterns, like the veins of a leaf, spread out toward either end, and it looked as if mercury were flowing slowly within.
Just by looking at it, one could feel its burgeoning vitality, as if it might sprout new shoots and buds at any moment.
This was the Eternal Branch, the first-place prize he had won in yesterday’s combat class.
Only after getting his hands on it did Anton discover it could also accelerate Spiritual Qi recovery, making it perfect for aiding his practice of cultivation techniques and other skills.
It could drastically shorten his recovery time after Spiritual Qi depletion, significantly boosting his cultivation efficiency.
’A pleasant surprise, indeed.’
Putting the Eternal Branch away, Anton stretched, hopped off the bed, and pushed open the treehouse door, stepping outside.
The cool morning air, carrying the sweet fragrance of Honeybell Flowers, rushed to meet him, instantly refreshing his spirit.
As expected, Romance was already waiting outside.
Her behavior, however, was rather baffling.
The girl was holding her war axe and gesturing with it over her own arm. She would occasionally frown in thought, then shake her head and sigh, her expression so focused it was as if she were pondering some world-class conundrum.
Anton’s mouth twitched.
’What’s this? Is chopping trees not exciting enough for her? Did she switch to researching how to chop herself?’
"What are you doing?" Anton couldn’t help but ask.
Hearing his voice, Romance looked up, her eyes instantly brightening as if she’d found her savior. "You’re just in time! Quick, tell me about that defensive combat technique from yesterday. I went home and thought about it all night, but I still can’t figure out the key to it."
’So that’s what this was about.’
Anton was exasperated. "I already told you it was a magic-combat technique. It’s obviously infused with Magic. Of course you’re not going to figure it out if you approach it with the logic of a regular combat technique."
Of course, that was just an excuse.
Only Anton knew the truth: the Forbidden Golden Armor wasn’t a magic-combat technique at all.
Romance couldn’t learn it simply because their energy systems were fundamentally different.
"Oh, is that right..." Romance sounded a little disappointed.
For a Warrior like her, with a simple and direct fighting style, the Forbidden Golden Armor was practically tailor-made. It could have provided an immediate and tangible boost to her combat abilities.
Anton understood this, of course. He thought for a moment before saying, "When I have some free time, I’ll look into it. I’ll see if I can modify the Forbidden Golden Armor so you can learn it too."
’Martial skills and combat techniques have some common ground, after all. With a few modifications, maybe it could be powered by Magic Power.’
"Really?"
Overjoyed, Romance threw her arms around Anton, nearly dropping her war axe in the process.
"You’re the best, Anton!"
She still carried the fresh scent of morning dew, and her long, silver-white hair brushed against his cheek, making it itch.
Anton patted her helplessly on the back. After a moment of playful laughter, they started walking side-by-side toward the training grounds.
Along the way, Anton noticed a distinct change.
He had been something of a ’celebrity’ within the clan before, but his fame was limited to the younger generation. The adult Elves had treated him no differently than any other youth.
Their gazes were gentle and accepting, but also held the detached scrutiny of elders observing their juniors.
But today, every Elf they passed on the path turned to look at him. Their eyes held curiosity, amazement, and a certain deliberateness, as if they were sizing up a fledgling hawk about to take flight.
A squad of forest guards approaching them even took the initiative to nod in greeting.
This was a level of respect that other young Elves simply didn’t receive.
Anton knew the reason for this, of course, and couldn’t help but sigh to himself.
’Even among the reserved Elf Race, strength is still the most important measure of a person.’
’As long as you display enough power, you can earn equality and respect, even if you’re not yet an adult.’
’And that, in turn, often means more freedom.’
Lost in thought, the two of them soon arrived at the training grounds.
After they parted ways at the entrance, Anton fielded a few waves of enthusiastic greetings and small talk before heading to Darian’s teaching treehouse, as usual. When he pushed the door open, however, he found Darian was the only one inside.
"Teacher," Anton said with a slight bow.
Darian looked up at the sound of his voice, a gentle smile gracing his features. "Perfect timing. I was just thinking that if you didn’t show up today, I’d have to go find you myself."
Seeing the surprise on Anton’s face, Darian didn’t beat around the bush. He took out the Life Source Crystal and handed it over.
"This is the Life Source Crystal. The Great Elder asked me to give it to you."
Anton was stunned.
As a member of the Elf Race, he had naturally heard of a priceless treasure like the Life Source Crystal. He even knew the Silver Moon Clan possessed one. He just never imagined the Great Elder would actually entrust this treasure to him.
"The Great Elder has high hopes for you," Darian said earnestly. "I hope you won’t disappoint him."
Snapping out of his daze, Anton nodded with a solemn expression and reached out to accept the Life Source Crystal.
Darian didn’t say anything further. He simply told Anton to come find him if he needed anything in the future, then patted him on the shoulder and left.
Anton gripped the Life Source Crystal, his feelings a complex, tangled mess.
His primary goal in creating this aura of being a prodigy in both magic and martial arts was to gain more freedom. He wanted to be able to openly practice his cultivation techniques and skills in the future.
He had certainly achieved that goal—in fact, the results were even better than he’d anticipated.
The Great Elder had given him the Clan’s only Life Source Crystal, which showed just how much he valued Anton’s talent and potential.
It was as if he were betting the entire future of the Clan on him.
This filled Anton with a heavy sense of responsibility.
’This is one heavy treasure.’
Anton put the Life Source Crystal away and decided not to dwell on it.
While reaching the higher realms of cultivation required one to eventually settle their karmic debts, severing all worldly ties wasn’t the only method. He had no intention of walking the Path of Ruthlessness, so there was no need to reject this new karmic bond.
Reining in his thoughts, Anton left the treehouse, planning to head back and continue his cultivation.
But just as he was leaving the magic district, he spotted a familiar figure in the shade of a nearby tree.
It was Eleanor.
She was clearly waiting for him. The moment she saw him emerge, she hurried over.
Anton was confused.
He and Eleanor had barely ever interacted, having exchanged only a few words at most. He was curious as to why she was waiting for him.
But her opening words were completely unexpected.
"I’m sorry, Anton."
Anton was taken aback. "Why are you apologizing to me?"
Eleanor bit her lip, as if she had come to a decision, and confessed openly, "I used to think you weren’t taking your talent for Magic seriously, and I really disapproved of your attitude. I said a lot of... unflattering things about you behind your back."
She paused, the tips of her ears turning faintly red, but she stubbornly met Anton’s gaze. "It wasn’t until yesterday that I realized I had misjudged you. I’m very sorry, and I’m ashamed of my own narrow-mindedness."
Anton was stunned for a moment before he broke into a laugh.
’This girl... is a little *too* honest.’
’If she had just kept it to herself, I would have never known and wouldn’t have held anything against her. But instead, she came right up to me, laid everything bare, and gave such a formal apology.’
’Are all Elves this earnest?’
"It’s fine," Anton said, waving his hand. "Don’t worry about it."
Eleanor studied his expression carefully. Seeing that he genuinely didn’t mind, she breathed a sigh of relief, and her opinion of him improved.
’He really is broad-minded.’
"Thank you." A genuine smile touched her lips, but then her tone shifted, and her gaze became bright and sharp once more. "But, even though you’re incredibly strong right now, I’m not going to admit defeat. Sooner or later, I’ll catch up to you—and even surpass you!"
With that, she gave Anton one last, deep look, then turned and walked away.
Anton stood stunned for a few seconds, then shook his head with a laugh.
’Not only earnest, but competitive too...’