TBATE: Black Will

"Tess, wake up," I said, patting her shoulder. 

She still looked sleepy, her drowsy eyes slowly taking in the surroundings. Drool trickled from the corner of her mouth, and she seemed so tired that it looked like she could fall asleep standing up.

"Huh?" she mumbled, looking at me with a silly smile as if she were still dreaming. "Let's sleep a little longer."

I suppressed a chuckle as I watched her. She looked so carefree that I almost felt guilty for waking her. However, Tess had insisted on joining me and Grandpa Virion for training. After all, she had recently awakened.

Tess awakened at the age of nine, which was considered quite early even for an elf. It happened a month ago, accompanied by a small explosion. She had even managed to destroy her room on the upper floor, crash through it, and create a small crater right in the kitchen below. Since then, she'd been determined to train alongside me and Grandpa, even though she sometimes struggled to keep up with the intense regimen. To be fair, I had also barely kept up when I first started training under Grandpa's watchful eye.

"Tess, you wanted to train, so let's get up already," I encouraged her, giving her another gentle nudge on the shoulder and wiping her drool with my sleeve.

Today was a special day. After three years of living in Elenoir, I had finally completed the mana assimilation in my body. This milestone almost coincided with my birthday; if Tess turned nine a few months ago, I would soon be eleven. Throughout this period, I was forbidden from absorbing mana from the atmosphere—I could only use the mana generated by my core, gradually distributing it throughout my body. Today marked the final phase, one that every beast tamer must go through after completing assimilation.

Tess, skipping her morning wash, hurried to change into a more presentable robe, tying her hair into a ponytail before stepping outside with me into the courtyard, where Grandpa awaited us.

"So, finally awake, little granddaughter? How did your future husband wake you up today? With a morning kiss? Ha-ha!" Grandpa Virion teased, sipping tea at a small table in the courtyard.

"Grandpa!" Tess blushed furiously, shouting in embarrassment and giving him a playful punch to the stomach. She still hadn't gotten used to his jests.

Virion merely smirked, as if expecting the punch, and added, 

"Ah, youth these days. Can't even take a joke." He feigned disappointment but quickly shifted his tone, crossing his arms and looking at me. "Are you ready? Today is finally the day. After this, you'll become a true beast tamer, not like those lucky ones who just have a beast will."

I nodded resolutely, while Tess moved to the table to observe. The ceremony promised no grandeur, but its importance was immense. The entire process involved Grandpa Virion channeling a significant amount of his mana into my core to trigger a surge that I had to distribute throughout my body.

"Do you remember the main phases of beast tamers, Lucius?" he asked.

I immediately began to recite the fundamentals he had drilled into me over the years. "Each beast tamer goes through several phases depending on the strength of the beast's will sealed in their core. The first phase is Acquisition, where the tamer can only use part of the beast's abilities. The second is Integration, where the beast's will fully merges with the body, allowing for better control over its power."

"Correct!" Virion smiled. "The phases show how deeply you can harness the beast's will. But it's important to understand that the Integration phase isn't always stronger than the Acquisition phase. The first phase allows precise use of a specific ability, while Integration is a broader application of its strength."

His tone suddenly became serious, making me tense up.

"There's something else you need to know, Lucius. I haven't told you this before, but now that you're about to become a true beast tamer, it's time. There are different ways to acquire a beast's will. If a beast is killed and its core with the remaining will is extracted, a mage can absorb that will. Such a mage is called a false tamer. It's easier to become one, but the enlightenment that comes with the will is much harder to attain and far more limited." Virion paused to let the weight of his words sink in. "One of the reasons I struggled to reach the second phase for so long is that I'm a false tamer myself. I was incredibly lucky to break through to the second level."

He stopped and looked me straight in the eye.

"But you, Lucius, are one of the rare hereditary tamers," Virion continued, watching me intently. "From what you described about your awakening in the wilderness, your beast willingly passed its will to you on its deathbed, and that is your greatest advantage."

He then explained:

"My first phase doesn't make me much faster, but I can erase part of my presence and merge with the shadows. You haven't seen my second phase, have you? Watch closely. It took me over ten years to reach this phase."

With those words, I felt a powerful surge of mana envelop his body, making me involuntarily flinch. Suddenly, all the mana around him was pulled back in, and my eyes widened in astonishment.

Grandpa's skin began to darken, turning completely black as if absorbing the surrounding light. Even the whites of his eyes turned black, while his irises sharpened and glowed a vivid yellow. His once neatly tied white hair unraveled, taking on a dark, glossy sheen. The aura emanating from him was so intimidating that I instinctively took a step back. Of course, I knew about his second phase, but seeing it firsthand was an entirely different experience.

"This is the Integration phase," his voice was rough and heavy. "I'm going to sneak up behind you. Stay alert."

Before I could fully process his words and turn around, he had already disappeared from my sight. I couldn't sense his presence at all, but as soon as I glanced behind, his finger was already at my neck. He stood right behind me, looking at me with those glowing yellow eyes.

It was unbelievably fast. It seemed as though he had just teleported. But I knew that wasn't the case — there were faint traces of his movement from his original position. His speed was so insane that even my eyes and reflexes couldn't keep up. But the most terrifying part wasn't his speed. It was the complete absence of his presence, even when he was standing right behind me. That's how powerful the old man really was…

He returned to his normal state, his face slightly flushed as Tessia clapped as if she were watching a show.

"Phew! Using this form always takes a toll on me," Grandpa took a deep breath, relaxing his muscles. "After decades of training, I can maintain the form for just under an hour. In the Acquisition phase, I channel a small part of my beast's will to borrow the speed and stealth of the shadow panther. But in the Integration phase, I not only enhanced my speed and stealth but also improved my senses."

I nodded in understanding, sensing the importance of this moment.

"All right! Let's begin the ceremony," he commanded, clasping his hands together and focusing.

We stood facing each other, just an arm's length apart. Tess, excited by what was happening, leaned forward, her gaze fixed on us, waiting for what would happen next. 

"Just let your mana flow freely. Don't try to control anything. I will restrain you if necessary," grandfather warned, his voice serious but calming. "That's why it's very important that you maintain a calm state of mind and awaken the mana particles you've absorbed over all these years." 

I nodded, confirming that I was ready, and relaxed my body, preparing for the flow of energy. As soon as I felt the process begin, my grandfather started infusing his mana into my core. I could feel my own mana mixing with his, filling me from within. 

Soon, my body began to heat up, as if a stream of hot air was penetrating every cell, passing through my pores. It was both pleasant and alarming at the same time. It felt as though the warmth was spreading throughout my body, overflowing it. 

But suddenly, something went wrong. When the pressure inside reached its limit, a loud explosion shook me, pulling me out of my concentration. I managed to see how grandfather was thrown back by a black wave, and Tess screamed as she fell off her chair and rolled to the ground. The black wave passed on, then sucked back into me, as if returning to its original state. 

The pain was unbearable. It engulfed my entire body, as if my skeleton was trying to tear my flesh apart from the inside. I wanted to scream, but I couldn't—the strength wasn't even enough for that. My vision darkened, and I gratefully sank into the darkness, knowing it would free me from the pain… 

Opening my eyes, I found myself surrounded by a dark orange substance. Subconsciously, I realized I was in my core. But what struck me the most was right in front of my eyes, just behind the wall I had created. It was the devil incarnate! His skin was dark, almost black, giving him a threatening look. His eyes glowed brightly with thin pupils, causing a terrifying shudder. 

Long, curved horns grew from his head, adding to his imposing presence, as if he were a king of darkness. The demon's jaws were sharp, with teeth like knives, gleaming in the darkness, and his sinister smile only accentuated his danger. He was surrounded by a black substance adorned with armor elements, which enhanced his bulky and fearsome appearance. 

I felt fear tighten around my heart, but at the same time, a sense of power began to grow within me. This was the feeling of strength and omnipotence emanating from him. His power could belong to me… 

"Lesser, you finally managed to awaken," his hoarse, low voice echoed everywhere. He looked at me and chuckled softly. "But you haven't even reached a white core yet to be a remotely decent vessel. Your body is just terrible right now." 

His words intrigued me, but my attention was drawn to something else. 

I finally noticed that a part of the blue-transparent wall had broken. He extended his hand, and I felt the dark blob of energy swirling around him start to spread, passing through the large hole and moving towards me, devouring mana along its path. I instinctively, in fear, raised a wall. The wall quickly restored itself and severed the tendril of dark energy. 

"Your wall again. Aren't you sorry for your life energy mixed with mana?" the creature sighed. "If you keep this up, you won't live past fifty. I thought you Lesser were trying to conserve every particle of life energy due to your short lifespan." 

I gritted my teeth as I sealed the last crack, which required more effort. This demon was not just a threat; he embodied everything I feared. He was a harbinger of chaos, belonging to a certain kind. He truly was an Asura, as I had suspected. 

"And this is coming from an Asura who's been dead for a long time?" I said, hiding my fear behind a smirk, trying to sound confident. 

"Hoh, so you know who Asura are, huh?" A brief moment of surprise crossed his face, then it twisted back into a sinister grin. "You usually call us the Lords. Although, no, that's in Alacrya. You call us deities. I wonder, what do you even know about who you're speaking to right now?" 

"If you're a basilisk, did you cowardly flee from Agrona and get taken out like the last loser?!" I replied with a sarcastic grin. I anticipated his reaction, and I was right: the Asura made an awful grimace, full of anger and rage. 

"Lesser, you dare judge me?" he growled, the dark energy swirling around him trembling as if ready to break through my defense. "You have no idea what you're playing with! I've survived more than you can imagine!" 

I felt his fury fill the space, causing my wall to tremble. The dark energy struck the wall, but the wall didn't flinch. It withstood his onslaught.

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