NOVEL NEXT Chapter 300: The Well of Wisdom
Hiding his confusion behind a mask of solemness, he shrugged. "I don't know of a beheaded old man who can talk, either."
The severed head frowned. Had the world forgotten him after mortals and gods once sought his wisdom?
"That's... sad." He recovered in the blink of an eye, his lips curving into a warm smile. "Let me introduce myself then. I'm Mimir, and you're the first to visit my well in the last fifty thousand years. I hope we can have a delightful discussion, new friend."
Adam scratched his head as he approached, then sat in front of it. Who was Mimir? Aside from the affluent gods and their nemesis, he knew nothing about the Northern pantheon.
Still, he nodded at the man and returned the introduction.
"I'm Adam, and I need a few minutes out of the tundra to sort a few things. I'll leave right after."
"No, no, no, friend. Don't leave so soon." Mimir's eyes narrowed. "Let's strike a deal: I'll answer any question you might have, even how to heal your left eye. You'll stay a day for each answer in exchange."
"Do you need company that much, old head?" Adam shook his head. "I've been away from home for too long. The journey is still long, and I don't want to waste time."
Mimir rolled his eyes. "Even Odin begged for my answers. Look at me. He's the one who resurrected my head to enjoy my wisdom. Are you sure you want to pass on this opportunity?"
Adam swiped his finger through the air, summoning his interface. Odin going to such lengths was a definite proof of Mimir's wisdom. But so what? The last wise person he had trusted knew he'd struggle in the abyss but never warned him. Trust another one?
He shook his head and focused on his stat panel as Mimir silently observed him.
Name: Adam
Race: Elder Dragon Overlord
Affinity: chaotic, infernal energy
Talent: SS grade (Upgradable): I'm a gamer!
Job: /
Class: Chaos Druid
LVL: 91
Exp: 2.700.000/126.000.000
HP: 998.100/998.100
Vitality: 28.179 (67.050)
Strength: 28.179 (+11.272)(67.050)
Agility: 28.179 (+11.272)(67.050)
Chaotic demonic essence: 44.700->44.750->44.800
Free attribute points: 6528
Items: Parchment of Absolution...
His lips twisted, and he didn't bother distributing his stat points when he saw the requirement for the next level. And without leveling up, his rise to the eighth tier would become meaningless. At least his body engulfed and converted energy into essence faster than ever after evolving, and the stupid job the gods had given him vanished now that he was free. But he felt dissatisfied.
An ancient parchment appeared between his fingers as he muttered, "Should I use it now? I wanted to wait for the last evolution..."
"Ah, a parchment of absolution. A marvel lost in the meander of time." Mimir chose this moment to speak up, his eyes sparkling. "You have an interesting item, but aren't you a little greedy, friend?" His voice grew somber. "Or do you think you can kill a god without using everything you have and even more?"
Adam inhaled. He was stuck anyway, and Mimir's advice was correct.
With a flick of his finger, he ripped the parchment. A golden light engulfed him as his powerful muscles thinned. From a bulky dragon, he became a lean, almost malnourished serpent. Yet, his eye sparkled, and his lips curled into a grin as a notification rang in his ears.
[Parchment of absolution used: Level reseted to one.]
He checked his new stats.
Name: Adam
Race: Elder Dragon Overlord
Affinity: chaotic, infernal energy
Talent: SS grade (Upgradable): I'm a gamer!
Job: /
Class: Chaos Druid
LVL: 1
Exp: 0/20
HP: 673.300/673.300
Vitality: 200 (+80)(67.050)
Strength: 200 (+80)(67.050)
Agility: 200 (+80)(67.050)
Chaotic demonic essence: 44.900
Free attribute points: 0
He whistled as he compared them to the ones he started with. 'Two hundred times more powerful. And with my tier, evolution, and essence, I'll get tons of stat points. Yeah, I don't regret using it now.'
Meanwhile, Mimir's eyes trembled. Adam gave up on his powers so nonchalantly, something most gods would reluctantly do after months of convincing. He wouldn't have believed it had he not seen it in person.
"This decisiveness... it might work," he muttered before he shook his head, a determined glint flashing in his eyes. "No, it has to work. Hey, Adam!"
Adam frowned at Mimir. "I'm not asking questions."
"Forget about that. I have another offer." He didn't give Adam time to answer and continued. "You see that well? Drinking from it will grant you wisdom beyond your wildest dreams. But here is the catch: you must sacrifice something of great personal value."
"Who said I wanted to drink?"
Mimir shook his head, almost falling from the well's stones. "I'm not offering you to drink. Odin bound me to guard what's inside. Assimilate it, and take me out of this lonesome realm. That's my new offer."
Adam squinted suspiciously. "What's inside?"
"Nothing much." Mimir's eyes narrowed into slits. "Just something to fix your eye for good and give you access to part of my knowledge. For free, of course."
Adam snorted. Since the start, Mimir had tried to lead him into doing this by mentioning his eye. 'That's why I won't trust those smiling bastards again.'
He clicked his tongue and returned to his interface, swiping it to his friend's list.
However, Mimir spoke again, his tone gloating.
"You're a being of chaos, and your body craves to recover after you reseted it. Think about it a little longer, friend. We're talking about the eye of Odin that has soaked in the well for hundreds of thousands of years."
Adam's finger froze over Mimi's name, and his heart drummed in his ears. No, he had to calm down.
Before he could, he cursed as Mimir hammered the nail deeper.
"You'll learn how to shapeshift and engrave items with runes. You'll also see through illusions." His voice and eyes hardened and sparkled, almost screaming he wasn't lying. "Kill me the second you feel something off."
A tense silence followed as he pondered the risks and rewards. He believed Mimir's words were true but couldn't rely on a subjective feeling. On the other hand...
'Shit. I don't want to look like a giant dragon. Am I really accepting just for that?' His limbs trembled before his shoulders slumped in defeat. 'Give me my sinful handsomeness back!'
He approached the ancient well, noting Mimir's delighted expression as he leaned above it.
Amidst the fresh water inside, he noticed a light blue eye floating. "What now? Do I just scoop it out?"
"I give you my permission, so don't worry. Retrieve and slot it."
He rolled his eye as Mimir chuckled. 'Do you think I'm a toy you can slot things into?' Discover exclusive tales at My Virtual Library Empire
With a deep exhale, he lashed his arm, the water splashing around him as he gripped the eye. In the same movement, he placed it in his empty eye socket before it fell to the ground.
"..." He gazed at Mimi, clicking his tongue. "Sure, a human-sized eye will fit. What great wisdom."
However, Mimir's grin reached his ears as Odin's eye dissolved into swirling smoke.
"Your eye never recovered because an element against your inherent nature cut its spiritual roots from your body. And Odin's eye is just that: a spiritual offering!"
Simultaneously, a tremor rocked Adam's body, making his limbs tremble like branches battered by a storm. His legs buckled as he fell to his back, and his hand whistled to his burning left eye socket.
"ARGH! You're dead, Mimir!"
----
AN: To whoever thinks it's a nerf: it's not. Just wait to see how many points he gets per level...