Chapter 234: The New Name
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Immediately after Wain appointed Black Rabbit as a knight, changes began to happen to the monster.
His aura intensified, and a large amount of energy burst out of him. Black Rabbit quickly realized that he was close to passing through Awareness.
This mutation could pass naturally, but a member of another race could also help the monster get the name.
There were several conditions, but the most important was that the monster and a person had to establish a friendly relationship.
Also, the monster had to come to the border himself, which is exactly what happened now.
"Wain! Help me!"
"Sure." Wain nodded and approached Black Rabbit.
He had helped Frigus get his name before and knew how the process worked, so he acted faster and more confidently this time.
Wain put his hand to the monster's chest and directed his energy into it.
"Say what name do you want?"
"We don't have time for that. I'll name myself, you have to help me get over the boundaries."
"Okay, go ahead, I'll do my best."
Black Rabbit nodded and said, "Now my name is ..."
Whoosh.
Before he could say the last word, the space around them collapsed. A large amount of dark mist erupted from it and enveloped them, encasing them in a tomb.
Wain wasn't worried. Something like this had happened before.
Black Rabbit was alarmed, but Wain's confident gaze helped him come to his senses. Mimic gathered his strength and once again tried to say his name.
"My name is Elegan now!"
He succeeded, but first, the monster had to get approval from the powers of the World of Darkness. Many seals appeared on the tomb and their bodies. Black Rabbit could not stand against this on his own, he lacked the strength at the moment.
However, Wain was ready for it. He didn't fully understand the full power of his Main Soul yet, but he knew what he had to do in such a situation.
His eyes sparkled, and a massive stream of dark energy burst out of his body. A black crown with an eye also appeared on his head, as if during a Beyond.
Gradually the seals began to break, and when the last of them cracked, there was an energy explosion.
Wain was tossed aside, in this situation, he was the only one taking damage as he was the one interfering in the process. Black Rabbit remained fine.
Wain was hurt, but not as badly as Frigus. He was bleeding from the corners of his mouth, but no more. He watched Black Rabbit, around whom strange things were beginning to happen.
A multitude of chests appeared next to the monster out of the darkness. It was as if they had built walls around him. Wain could not see what was going on inside. All he had to do was wait.
'This is definitely a success. Frigus has changed considerably since Awareness. I wonder what will happen to Black Rabbit? No, with Elegan...' Wain pondered.
After a while, the walls of chests began to collapse. When the last chest fell, Wain saw Elegan's new appearance.
"Huh, looks like the energy heard your previous wishes." Wain muttered.
Elegan, like Frigus after Awareness, began to look more human. The huge chest from his head was gone. It turned into an amulet that hung around his neck.
His arms and legs became slightly shorter, as did his claws, but they became sharper and more deadly.
Elegan's skin had grown slightly pale as if he'd been bleeding. His mouth was unnaturally wide for a human, though that was normal for a monster.
Elegan's hair was thick black, and his eyes were amber. They shone like gold. On his stomach was a wide, vertical mouth with many teeth. It stretched up to his chest.
He was dressed in spacious black clothes, semi-official style. On his head was a black, classic hat.
"I look pretty good, don't I?" Elegan said, smiling.
"Yeah, it's better than a giant trunk walking on two thin legs."
"Hey! I've always looked good. It's just that I've taken it to another level now."
"Huh, whatever. Congratulations, now there's one more person with a name in this place."
"That's true, but I got more than just a name. I also got much stronger. Look what I got." Elegan muttered and pulled a watch out of his pocket. It was silver and looked rather plain, but the dial was blank.
Elegan's aura intensified, and he pressed the button. The number '1' appeared on the clock, and a large amount of energy erupted from the monster's body.
It turned into a round seal with an image of a square. Elegan walked over to the seal and gave it a quick blow with his palm.
The energy from the seal burst out and destroyed several meters of ice in front. Previously something like this had been impossible for Elegan.
"Not bad, how many of these attacks do you still have in your arsenal? Are you concentrating on firepower now?" Wain asked.
Elegan shook his head, "I haven't quite figured it out yet, but pure firepower is definitely not my style. I'd call that number '1' ability just a way to protect myself in an emergency."
"I see. Can you show something else besides '1'?"
"Yes, something else I can do right now, but I need a monster for that. A goblin would be perfect. I'm afraid to test it on you."
Wain didn't understand what Elegan was worried about, but he agreed anyway. He was curious to see what powers Elegan got.
A few minutes later, they found the goblin, and Elegan pulled his watch out of his pocket again. He pressed the button, and the number '4' appeared on it.
Elegan's aura intensified, and two purple seals appeared on his hands. One of them had a thread pattern on it, and the other had a needle on it.
He pointed one hand toward the goblin, and suddenly the goblin stopped. The monster didn't understand what was happening. Then his left hand suddenly went up.
"You're controlling him. Right?"
"Yes, honestly, it's more complicated than I imagined. The problem is that my capabilities don't match his body. In other words, I act so insecurely because I'm afraid of breaking his arm or snapping his neck."
"It's as telekinesis, but more like the ability to turn others into their puppets, like a magician's performance. Elegan, can you use this ability to move objects?'
"No, only control other living things. Okay, I think it's time to let our subject go." Elegan said and canceled the skill.
The goblin was puzzled. He didn't understand what had just happened.
"Don't worry. You're free to go. Take some crystals from the warehouse as a reward." Wain said and gestured for the goblin to leave.
"Wain, thank you for your help again. Without you, I doubt I would have made it through Awareness so soon."
"That's all right. The stronger you are, the stronger I am. Try to get busy collecting and distributing resources, and keep in contact with Lui Bu and Edena and help them in any way you can."
"Of course. I'll do everything to the best of my ability. What's more, I've had more helpers lately, so progress is much faster."
Wain nodded and headed into the woods. He now had three territories under his control, and each one was quite large. It took him about thirty minutes to get from Ice Caves to the Magical Forest of Azure Rivers.
'Hmm, the Stone Wine Barrel is somewhere in the Forest of Dark Elves. I wonder where it came from?' Wain pondered as he entered the forest.
He walked across the field where he had fought before. To the left was a huge waterfall that gurgled into a massive river. The splashes were loud but not terrifying. They gave peace and tranquility.
In the distance, by the cliff, was a large castle where Reto lived and spent a lot of time. It cost him a lot of effort to build it in this place.
The castle was in the back of a magical forest, with unusual, tall trees with purple leaves. Wain walked forward and looked around. He saw many different flowers, small insects, and also fruit on the trees.
There was no energy in it, but that's exactly the kind of thing Lui Bu and Edena needed. Wain was right to seize the area since Ice Caves and Snow Desert were essentially lifeless zones.
Wain knew where Reto was, as its point on the map differed from the others. It was in the shape of a cup filled with a bunch of grapes.
This sign had already disappeared from Reto's chest, but it was still on the map. This gave Wain a few thoughts.
'Hmm, as time goes on, the territories will get bigger. Perhaps, within my Void, there will be organizations to keep track of certain territories at some point. I'm not sure how that works, but such a possibility is not ruled out.'
Reto was in the middle of the forest, and when Wain almost got there, he heard a loud voice from behind the trees.
'Huh! You wimps! You couldn't even make it through one round! How did you even beat us! What a shame..."
'That's certainly Reto's voice. Is he fighting someone?' Wain thought and ran towards the sound.
As he ran through the layer of trees, he saw dozens of monsters and Dark Elves lying on the ground. The monsters were from all over the territories, both wood and ice, and desert.
The only one standing was Reto. However, there was no battle. The monsters were asleep, and Reto was smiling contentedly and drinking wine from his golden glass.
Everyone was gathered here because a Stone Wine Barrel had appeared in this place. It was quite large, the size of a massive monster.
The barrel was lying on the ground, and there was a thin crack in the front of it from which the wine was constantly flowing.
Reto decided that such a valuable resource shouldn't go to waste, so he'd been drinking whatever didn't fit in the barrel for some time now.
As stated in the description of the Stone Wine Barrel, the flowers around it were filled with alcohol and now have an intoxicating effect.
Also, all of the creatures who tasted the wine quickly became intoxicated. No one but Reto could take more than one sip.
"Damn... It looks like I got an inveterate alcoholic on my team..." Wain muttered.
He liked to drink good alcohol, but he didn't expect Reto to be able to out-drink the big monsters. He was surprised at Reto's stamina.
"Oh! Nameless, welcome to heaven! This wine is the best I've ever drunk. It's wonderful!" Reto exclaimed.
"I owe it to myself to try it." Wain muttered.
"Sure, but you'll have to take off your mask to do it, won't you?"
"Huh, that's no problem. Like I said earlier, I've been keeping an intrigue, and that's enough."
Wain walked over to the stone barrel, took the goblet filled with wine from Reto's hands, and took off his mask. Reto stared at him, trying to figure out which race Wain was a member of.
When Wain took a sip, he tasted incredible. His body filled with energy, and he felt himself grow stronger. His regeneration, Stamina, and Vitality increased for a while.
"This wine is truly strong. No surprise the monsters are out." Wain muttered and took another sip.
Wain was just as partially intoxicated, but he could control and keep himself in check. The dose wasn't strong enough for him to fall down and fall asleep like monsters.
"Nameless, what is your name?"
"Wain Norheim."
"Not a bad name and you have an interesting appearance. Who are you?"
"Your ruler." Wain replied coldly, letting Reto know there was no point in broaching the subject.
"All right, all right, I was just asking. Why are you so serious? We're supposed to be drinking and having fun!"
"Drink as much as you want, though when all the resources and Points of Interest are found, Elegan will handle their distribution and use. Otherwise, you alone will drink all."
"Huh, that's not true. Another liter, and I'll fall off my feet. I thought I could drink a lot more. What a pity."
"Reto, I want to talk to you. I don't think this is the right place."
The Dark Elf smiled and calmly said, "Of course, there's enough room in my castle for a long discussion."
...
After a while, they sat around a large, round table. Reto poured Wain's wine, and they began their discussion.
"I want to ask you about the Dark Elves and the other Elves. What is your relationship? I don't know much about your kind."
"It's a pretty simple question. Many Elves, especially High Elves, often use the attribute of light. The more powerful they are, the more they hate darkness and despise those who use it. Dark Elves are just such creatures. We, the children of darkness, as our appearance and character testify."
"Is there always enmity between your Clans, or is it mostly local skirmishes?"
"It's hard to answer, but I think the first option is more likely. In my opinion, the Elves and High Elves are the aggressors. They are disgusted that members of their race are associated with darkness, and they try by all means to disown us and kill us. Of course, there are exceptions, but the general situation is this."
"In your view, the Dark Elves are not involved in this conflict?"
Wain wanted to understand better the relationship between the Elves and the Dark Elves. Moreover, from Reto's words, he understood that the High Elves were of great importance, the strongest representatives of this race.
"I don't know. I, my people, and my acquaintances don't have the same hatred for the Elves they have for us. Nor do I know what happened thousands of years ago. Why did the Dark Elves appear one day? I won't be able to answer that question."
"Is it true that you only use the attribute of darkness? Your illusions are not like that." Wain asked.
Illusion wasn't a common and familiar attribute like darkness, light, or fire. It was something more complex and unusual.
Wain was surprised to see that the Dark Elf had such abilities, it took him by surprise.. If Reto's stats had been higher, he could have fought Wain on equal footing.
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Immediately after Wain appointed Black Rabbit as a knight, changes began to happen to the monster.
His aura intensified, and a large amount of energy burst out of him. Black Rabbit quickly realized that he was close to passing through Awareness.
This mutation could pass naturally, but a member of another race could also help the monster get the name.
There were several conditions, but the most important was that the monster and a person had to establish a friendly relationship.
Also, the monster had to come to the border himself, which is exactly what happened now.
"Wain! Help me!"
"Sure." Wain nodded and approached Black Rabbit.
He had helped Frigus get his name before and knew how the process worked, so he acted faster and more confidently this time.
Wain put his hand to the monster's chest and directed his energy into it.
"Say what name do you want?"
"We don't have time for that. I'll name myself, you have to help me get over the boundaries."
"Okay, go ahead, I'll do my best."
Black Rabbit nodded and said, "Now my name is ..."
Whoosh.
Before he could say the last word, the space around them collapsed. A large amount of dark mist erupted from it and enveloped them, encasing them in a tomb.
Wain wasn't worried. Something like this had happened before.
Black Rabbit was alarmed, but Wain's confident gaze helped him come to his senses. Mimic gathered his strength and once again tried to say his name.
"My name is Elegan now!"
He succeeded, but first, the monster had to get approval from the powers of the World of Darkness. Many seals appeared on the tomb and their bodies. Black Rabbit could not stand against this on his own, he lacked the strength at the moment.
However, Wain was ready for it. He didn't fully understand the full power of his Main Soul yet, but he knew what he had to do in such a situation.
His eyes sparkled, and a massive stream of dark energy burst out of his body. A black crown with an eye also appeared on his head, as if during a Beyond.
Gradually the seals began to break, and when the last of them cracked, there was an energy explosion.
Wain was tossed aside, in this situation, he was the only one taking damage as he was the one interfering in the process. Black Rabbit remained fine.
Wain was hurt, but not as badly as Frigus. He was bleeding from the corners of his mouth, but no more. He watched Black Rabbit, around whom strange things were beginning to happen.
A multitude of chests appeared next to the monster out of the darkness. It was as if they had built walls around him. Wain could not see what was going on inside. All he had to do was wait.
'This is definitely a success. Frigus has changed considerably since Awareness. I wonder what will happen to Black Rabbit? No, with Elegan...' Wain pondered.
After a while, the walls of chests began to collapse. When the last chest fell, Wain saw Elegan's new appearance.
"Huh, looks like the energy heard your previous wishes." Wain muttered.
Elegan, like Frigus after Awareness, began to look more human. The huge chest from his head was gone. It turned into an amulet that hung around his neck.
His arms and legs became slightly shorter, as did his claws, but they became sharper and more deadly.
Elegan's skin had grown slightly pale as if he'd been bleeding. His mouth was unnaturally wide for a human, though that was normal for a monster.
Elegan's hair was thick black, and his eyes were amber. They shone like gold. On his stomach was a wide, vertical mouth with many teeth. It stretched up to his chest.
He was dressed in spacious black clothes, semi-official style. On his head was a black, classic hat.
"I look pretty good, don't I?" Elegan said, smiling.
"Yeah, it's better than a giant trunk walking on two thin legs."
"Hey! I've always looked good. It's just that I've taken it to another level now."
"Huh, whatever. Congratulations, now there's one more person with a name in this place."
"That's true, but I got more than just a name. I also got much stronger. Look what I got." Elegan muttered and pulled a watch out of his pocket. It was silver and looked rather plain, but the dial was blank.
Elegan's aura intensified, and he pressed the button. The number '1' appeared on the clock, and a large amount of energy erupted from the monster's body.
It turned into a round seal with an image of a square. Elegan walked over to the seal and gave it a quick blow with his palm.
The energy from the seal burst out and destroyed several meters of ice in front. Previously something like this had been impossible for Elegan.
"Not bad, how many of these attacks do you still have in your arsenal? Are you concentrating on firepower now?" Wain asked.
Elegan shook his head, "I haven't quite figured it out yet, but pure firepower is definitely not my style. I'd call that number '1' ability just a way to protect myself in an emergency."
"I see. Can you show something else besides '1'?"
"Yes, something else I can do right now, but I need a monster for that. A goblin would be perfect. I'm afraid to test it on you."
Wain didn't understand what Elegan was worried about, but he agreed anyway. He was curious to see what powers Elegan got.
A few minutes later, they found the goblin, and Elegan pulled his watch out of his pocket again. He pressed the button, and the number '4' appeared on it.
Elegan's aura intensified, and two purple seals appeared on his hands. One of them had a thread pattern on it, and the other had a needle on it.
He pointed one hand toward the goblin, and suddenly the goblin stopped. The monster didn't understand what was happening. Then his left hand suddenly went up.
"You're controlling him. Right?"
"Yes, honestly, it's more complicated than I imagined. The problem is that my capabilities don't match his body. In other words, I act so insecurely because I'm afraid of breaking his arm or snapping his neck."
"It's as telekinesis, but more like the ability to turn others into their puppets, like a magician's performance. Elegan, can you use this ability to move objects?'
"No, only control other living things. Okay, I think it's time to let our subject go." Elegan said and canceled the skill.
The goblin was puzzled. He didn't understand what had just happened.
"Don't worry. You're free to go. Take some crystals from the warehouse as a reward." Wain said and gestured for the goblin to leave.
"Wain, thank you for your help again. Without you, I doubt I would have made it through Awareness so soon."
"That's all right. The stronger you are, the stronger I am. Try to get busy collecting and distributing resources, and keep in contact with Lui Bu and Edena and help them in any way you can."
"Of course. I'll do everything to the best of my ability. What's more, I've had more helpers lately, so progress is much faster."
Wain nodded and headed into the woods. He now had three territories under his control, and each one was quite large. It took him about thirty minutes to get from Ice Caves to the Magical Forest of Azure Rivers.
'Hmm, the Stone Wine Barrel is somewhere in the Forest of Dark Elves. I wonder where it came from?' Wain pondered as he entered the forest.
He walked across the field where he had fought before. To the left was a huge waterfall that gurgled into a massive river. The splashes were loud but not terrifying. They gave peace and tranquility.
In the distance, by the cliff, was a large castle where Reto lived and spent a lot of time. It cost him a lot of effort to build it in this place.
The castle was in the back of a magical forest, with unusual, tall trees with purple leaves. Wain walked forward and looked around. He saw many different flowers, small insects, and also fruit on the trees.
There was no energy in it, but that's exactly the kind of thing Lui Bu and Edena needed. Wain was right to seize the area since Ice Caves and Snow Desert were essentially lifeless zones.
Wain knew where Reto was, as its point on the map differed from the others. It was in the shape of a cup filled with a bunch of grapes.
This sign had already disappeared from Reto's chest, but it was still on the map. This gave Wain a few thoughts.
'Hmm, as time goes on, the territories will get bigger. Perhaps, within my Void, there will be organizations to keep track of certain territories at some point. I'm not sure how that works, but such a possibility is not ruled out.'
Reto was in the middle of the forest, and when Wain almost got there, he heard a loud voice from behind the trees.
'Huh! You wimps! You couldn't even make it through one round! How did you even beat us! What a shame..."
'That's certainly Reto's voice. Is he fighting someone?' Wain thought and ran towards the sound.
As he ran through the layer of trees, he saw dozens of monsters and Dark Elves lying on the ground. The monsters were from all over the territories, both wood and ice, and desert.
The only one standing was Reto. However, there was no battle. The monsters were asleep, and Reto was smiling contentedly and drinking wine from his golden glass.
Everyone was gathered here because a Stone Wine Barrel had appeared in this place. It was quite large, the size of a massive monster.
The barrel was lying on the ground, and there was a thin crack in the front of it from which the wine was constantly flowing.
Reto decided that such a valuable resource shouldn't go to waste, so he'd been drinking whatever didn't fit in the barrel for some time now.
As stated in the description of the Stone Wine Barrel, the flowers around it were filled with alcohol and now have an intoxicating effect.
Also, all of the creatures who tasted the wine quickly became intoxicated. No one but Reto could take more than one sip.
"Damn... It looks like I got an inveterate alcoholic on my team..." Wain muttered.
He liked to drink good alcohol, but he didn't expect Reto to be able to out-drink the big monsters. He was surprised at Reto's stamina.
"Oh! Nameless, welcome to heaven! This wine is the best I've ever drunk. It's wonderful!" Reto exclaimed.
"I owe it to myself to try it." Wain muttered.
"Sure, but you'll have to take off your mask to do it, won't you?"
"Huh, that's no problem. Like I said earlier, I've been keeping an intrigue, and that's enough."
Wain walked over to the stone barrel, took the goblet filled with wine from Reto's hands, and took off his mask. Reto stared at him, trying to figure out which race Wain was a member of.
When Wain took a sip, he tasted incredible. His body filled with energy, and he felt himself grow stronger. His regeneration, Stamina, and Vitality increased for a while.
"This wine is truly strong. No surprise the monsters are out." Wain muttered and took another sip.
Wain was just as partially intoxicated, but he could control and keep himself in check. The dose wasn't strong enough for him to fall down and fall asleep like monsters.
"Nameless, what is your name?"
"Wain Norheim."
"Not a bad name and you have an interesting appearance. Who are you?"
"Your ruler." Wain replied coldly, letting Reto know there was no point in broaching the subject.
"All right, all right, I was just asking. Why are you so serious? We're supposed to be drinking and having fun!"
"Drink as much as you want, though when all the resources and Points of Interest are found, Elegan will handle their distribution and use. Otherwise, you alone will drink all."
"Huh, that's not true. Another liter, and I'll fall off my feet. I thought I could drink a lot more. What a pity."
"Reto, I want to talk to you. I don't think this is the right place."
The Dark Elf smiled and calmly said, "Of course, there's enough room in my castle for a long discussion."
...
After a while, they sat around a large, round table. Reto poured Wain's wine, and they began their discussion.
"I want to ask you about the Dark Elves and the other Elves. What is your relationship? I don't know much about your kind."
"It's a pretty simple question. Many Elves, especially High Elves, often use the attribute of light. The more powerful they are, the more they hate darkness and despise those who use it. Dark Elves are just such creatures. We, the children of darkness, as our appearance and character testify."
"Is there always enmity between your Clans, or is it mostly local skirmishes?"
"It's hard to answer, but I think the first option is more likely. In my opinion, the Elves and High Elves are the aggressors. They are disgusted that members of their race are associated with darkness, and they try by all means to disown us and kill us. Of course, there are exceptions, but the general situation is this."
"In your view, the Dark Elves are not involved in this conflict?"
Wain wanted to understand better the relationship between the Elves and the Dark Elves. Moreover, from Reto's words, he understood that the High Elves were of great importance, the strongest representatives of this race.
"I don't know. I, my people, and my acquaintances don't have the same hatred for the Elves they have for us. Nor do I know what happened thousands of years ago. Why did the Dark Elves appear one day? I won't be able to answer that question."
"Is it true that you only use the attribute of darkness? Your illusions are not like that." Wain asked.
Illusion wasn't a common and familiar attribute like darkness, light, or fire. It was something more complex and unusual.
Wain was surprised to see that the Dark Elf had such abilities, it took him by surprise.. If Reto's stats had been higher, he could have fought Wain on equal footing.
Immediately after Wain appointed Black Rabbit as a knight, changes began to happen to the monster. His aura intensified, and a large amount of energy burst out of him. Black Rabbit quickly realized that he was close to passing through Awareness.This mutation could pass naturally, but a member of another race could also help the monster get the name. There were several conditions, but the most important was that the monster and a person had to establish a friendly relationship. Also, the monster had to come to the border himself, which is exactly what happened now."Wain! Help me!""Sure." Wain nodded and approached Black Rabbit.He had helped Frigus get his name before and knew how the process worked, so he acted faster and more confidently this time.Wain put his hand to the monster's chest and directed his energy into it."Say what name do you want?""We don't have time for that. I'll name myself, you have to help me get over the boundaries.""Okay, go ahead, I'll do my best."Black Rabbit nodded and said, "Now my name is ..."Whoosh.Before he could say the last word, the space around them collapsed. A large amount of dark mist erupted from it and enveloped them, encasing them in a tomb. Wain wasn't worried. Something like this had happened before.Black Rabbit was alarmed, but Wain's confident gaze helped him come to his senses. Mimic gathered his strength and once again tried to say his name."My name is Elegan now!"He succeeded, but first, the monster had to get approval from the powers of the World of Darkness. Many seals appeared on the tomb and their bodies. Black Rabbit could not stand against this on his own, he lacked the strength at the moment.However, Wain was ready for it. He didn't fully understand the full power of his Main Soul yet, but he knew what he had to do in such a situation. His eyes sparkled, and a massive stream of dark energy burst out of his body. A black crown with an eye also appeared on his head, as if during a Beyond.Gradually the seals began to break, and when the last of them cracked, there was an energy explosion. Wain was tossed aside, in this situation, he was the only one taking damage as he was the one interfering in the process. Black Rabbit remained fine.Wain was hurt, but not as badly as Frigus. He was bleeding from the corners of his mouth, but no more. He watched Black Rabbit, around whom strange things were beginning to happen.A multitude of chests appeared next to the monster out of the darkness. It was as if they had built walls around him. Wain could not see what was going on inside. All he had to do was wait.'This is definitely a success. Frigus has changed considerably since Awareness. I wonder what will happen to Black Rabbit? No, with Elegan...' Wain pondered.After a while, the walls of chests began to collapse. When the last chest fell, Wain saw Elegan's new appearance."Huh, looks like the energy heard your previous wishes." Wain muttered.Elegan, like Frigus after Awareness, began to look more human. The huge chest from his head was gone. It turned into an amulet that hung around his neck. His arms and legs became slightly shorter, as did his claws, but they became sharper and more deadly.Elegan's skin had grown slightly pale as if he'd been bleeding. His mouth was unnaturally wide for a human, though that was normal for a monster. Elegan's hair was thick black, and his eyes were amber. They shone like gold. On his stomach was a wide, vertical mouth with many teeth. It stretched up to his chest.He was dressed in spacious black clothes, semi-official style. On his head was a black, classic hat."I look pretty good, don't I?" Elegan said, smiling."Yeah, it's better than a giant trunk walking on two thin legs.""Hey! I've always looked good. It's just that I've taken it to another level now.""Huh, whatever. Congratulations, now there's one more person with a name in this place.""That's true, but I got more than just a name. I also got much stronger. Look what I got." Elegan muttered and pulled a watch out of his pocket. It was silver and looked rather plain, but the dial was blank.Elegan's aura intensified, and he pressed the button. The number '1' appeared on the clock, and a large amount of energy erupted from the monster's body. It turned into a round seal with an image of a square. Elegan walked over to the seal and gave it a quick blow with his palm.The energy from the seal burst out and destroyed several meters of ice in front. Previously something like this had been impossible for Elegan."Not bad, how many of these attacks do you still have in your arsenal? Are you concentrating on firepower now?" Wain asked.Elegan shook his head, "I haven't quite figured it out yet, but pure firepower is definitely not my style. I'd call that number '1' ability just a way to protect myself in an emergency.""I see. Can you show something else besides '1'?""Yes, something else I can do right now, but I need a monster for that. A goblin would be perfect. I'm afraid to test it on you."Wain didn't understand what Elegan was worried about, but he agreed anyway. He was curious to see what powers Elegan got.A few minutes later, they found the goblin, and Elegan pulled his watch out of his pocket again. He pressed the button, and the number '4' appeared on it.Elegan's aura intensified, and two purple seals appeared on his hands. One of them had a thread pattern on it, and the other had a needle on it. He pointed one hand toward the goblin, and suddenly the goblin stopped. The monster didn't understand what was happening. Then his left hand suddenly went up."You're controlling him. Right?""Yes, honestly, it's more complicated than I imagined. The problem is that my capabilities don't match his body. In other words, I act so insecurely because I'm afraid of breaking his arm or snapping his neck.""It's as telekinesis, but more like the ability to turn others into their puppets, like a magician's performance. Elegan, can you use this ability to move objects?'"No, only control other living things. Okay, I think it's time to let our subject go." Elegan said and canceled the skill.The goblin was puzzled. He didn't understand what had just happened."Don't worry. You're free to go. Take some crystals from the warehouse as a reward." Wain said and gestured for the goblin to leave."Wain, thank you for your help again. Without you, I doubt I would have made it through Awareness so soon.""That's all right. The stronger you are, the stronger I am. Try to get busy collecting and distributing resources, and keep in contact with Lui Bu and Edena and help them in any way you can.""Of course. I'll do everything to the best of my ability. What's more, I've had more helpers lately, so progress is much faster."Wain nodded and headed into the woods. He now had three territories under his control, and each one was quite large. It took him about thirty minutes to get from Ice Caves to the Magical Forest of Azure Rivers.'Hmm, the Stone Wine Barrel is somewhere in the Forest of Dark Elves. I wonder where it came from?' Wain pondered as he entered the forest.He walked across the field where he had fought before. To the left was a huge waterfall that gurgled into a massive river. The splashes were loud but not terrifying. They gave peace and tranquility.In the distance, by the cliff, was a large castle where Reto lived and spent a lot of time. It cost him a lot of effort to build it in this place.The castle was in the back of a magical forest, with unusual, tall trees with purple leaves. Wain walked forward and looked around. He saw many different flowers, small insects, and also fruit on the trees.There was no energy in it, but that's exactly the kind of thing Lui Bu and Edena needed. Wain was right to seize the area since Ice Caves and Snow Desert were essentially lifeless zones.Wain knew where Reto was, as its point on the map differed from the others. It was in the shape of a cup filled with a bunch of grapes. This sign had already disappeared from Reto's chest, but it was still on the map. This gave Wain a few thoughts.'Hmm, as time goes on, the territories will get bigger. Perhaps, within my Void, there will be organizations to keep track of certain territories at some point. I'm not sure how that works, but such a possibility is not ruled out.'Reto was in the middle of the forest, and when Wain almost got there, he heard a loud voice from behind the trees.'Huh! You wimps! You couldn't even make it through one round! How did you even beat us! What a shame..."'That's certainly Reto's voice. Is he fighting someone?' Wain thought and ran towards the sound.As he ran through the layer of trees, he saw dozens of monsters and Dark Elves lying on the ground. The monsters were from all over the territories, both wood and ice, and desert.The only one standing was Reto. However, there was no battle. The monsters were asleep, and Reto was smiling contentedly and drinking wine from his golden glass.Everyone was gathered here because a Stone Wine Barrel had appeared in this place. It was quite large, the size of a massive monster. The barrel was lying on the ground, and there was a thin crack in the front of it from which the wine was constantly flowing.Reto decided that such a valuable resource shouldn't go to waste, so he'd been drinking whatever didn't fit in the barrel for some time now.As stated in the description of the Stone Wine Barrel, the flowers around it were filled with alcohol and now have an intoxicating effect. Also, all of the creatures who tasted the wine quickly became intoxicated. No one but Reto could take more than one sip."Damn... It looks like I got an inveterate alcoholic on my team..." Wain muttered.He liked to drink good alcohol, but he didn't expect Reto to be able to out-drink the big monsters. He was surprised at Reto's stamina."Oh! Nameless, welcome to heaven! This wine is the best I've ever drunk. It's wonderful!" Reto exclaimed."I owe it to myself to try it." Wain muttered."Sure, but you'll have to take off your mask to do it, won't you?""Huh, that's no problem. Like I said earlier, I've been keeping an intrigue, and that's enough."Wain walked over to the stone barrel, took the goblet filled with wine from Reto's hands, and took off his mask. Reto stared at him, trying to figure out which race Wain was a member of.When Wain took a sip, he tasted incredible. His body filled with energy, and he felt himself grow stronger. His regeneration, Stamina, and Vitality increased for a while."This wine is truly strong. No surprise the monsters are out." Wain muttered and took another sip.Wain was just as partially intoxicated, but he could control and keep himself in check. The dose wasn't strong enough for him to fall down and fall asleep like monsters."Nameless, what is your name?""Wain Norheim.""Not a bad name and you have an interesting appearance. Who are you?""Your ruler." Wain replied coldly, letting Reto know there was no point in broaching the subject."All right, all right, I was just asking. Why are you so serious? We're supposed to be drinking and having fun!""Drink as much as you want, though when all the resources and Points of Interest are found, Elegan will handle their distribution and use. Otherwise, you alone will drink all.""Huh, that's not true. Another liter, and I'll fall off my feet. I thought I could drink a lot more. What a pity.""Reto, I want to talk to you. I don't think this is the right place."The Dark Elf smiled and calmly said, "Of course, there's enough room in my castle for a long discussion."...After a while, they sat around a large, round table. Reto poured Wain's wine, and they began their discussion."I want to ask you about the Dark Elves and the other Elves. What is your relationship? I don't know much about your kind.""It's a pretty simple question. Many Elves, especially High Elves, often use the attribute of light. The more powerful they are, the more they hate darkness and despise those who use it. Dark Elves are just such creatures. We, the children of darkness, as our appearance and character testify.""Is there always enmity between your Clans, or is it mostly local skirmishes?""It's hard to answer, but I think the first option is more likely. In my opinion, the Elves and High Elves are the aggressors. They are disgusted that members of their race are associated with darkness, and they try by all means to disown us and kill us. Of course, there are exceptions, but the general situation is this.""In your view, the Dark Elves are not involved in this conflict?"Wain wanted to understand better the relationship between the Elves and the Dark Elves. Moreover, from Reto's words, he understood that the High Elves were of great importance, the strongest representatives of this race."I don't know. I, my people, and my acquaintances don't have the same hatred for the Elves they have for us. Nor do I know what happened thousands of years ago. Why did the Dark Elves appear one day? I won't be able to answer that question.""Is it true that you only use the attribute of darkness? Your illusions are not like that." Wain asked.Illusion wasn't a common and familiar attribute like darkness, light, or fire. It was something more complex and unusual. Wain was surprised to see that the Dark Elf had such abilities, it took him by surprise.. If Reto's stats had been higher, he could have fought Wain on equal footing.
