Chapter 246 - The Big Reveal

After the two found out how impossibly strong Argentum was for a Normal-grade Pseudo-Animate, the target, which was now filled to the brim with large cracks, soon disappeared from the confines of the room where Argentum was. While looking at the target gradually disappear, Argentum could not help but inwardly imagine as to how strong he would become after he evolves to the Magic-grade. Not only that, but he also imagined how strong he would become if he successfully clears the first Power Baptism.

Thinking about the first baptism, Argentum muttered to himself, "I think I have enough power right now to take on the first baptism." A few seconds later, he discarded this thought in his mind as he continued, "On second thought, I'll postpone the Power Baptism after I've finished raiding Verdant Breeze Town."

"For now, I'll just continue to acc.u.mulate more strength through my skills," he said to himself before becoming silent, waiting for the Grand Blue Master's next words.

Surprisingly, even after a minute of waiting, Argentum heard nothing from the Grand Blue Master. This made him wonder what had happened to him. But since he had no abilities that would allow him to check up on the Grand Blue Master, he had no choice but to wait. Fortunately, after five minutes, the Grand Blue Master finally sent a response to Argentum, which was that of a long and heavy sigh.

"You're incredible, Argentum," the Grand Blue Master said to him with a tone of awe. "To think that you're able to unleash a power not just a few grades above you, but multiple grades above you, is quite a remarkable feat."

"I did tell you to increase your expectations right, Grand Blue Master?" In response, Argentum replied in a confident yet slightly arrogant tone. Then again, unleashing such a level of power at his level is near impossible unless one devoted a lot of their time while stuck at the first grade of the Pseudo-Animate existence level. Of course, Argentum was only able to do this thanks to the Comprehension Leaves Aurus had absorbed from the Area 52 Inheritance.

"Since I've surpassed your goal for this trial by an insane amount, don't you think the rewards I get from this trial should reflect that as well?" Argentum asked the Grand Blue Master not long after with a light snicker. He then added, "Let's say…around 100 points or so?"

Surprisingly, the Grand Blue Master let out a sigh of relief after hearing Argentum say those words. Listening to the master of the inheritance sigh, Argentum tilted his head in slight confusion, wondering why the Grand Blue Master let out a sigh of relief. A few seconds later, the Grand Blue Master let out a chortle before saying, "I'm glad you thought of the same thing as me, Argentum. You know what they say, great minds think alike."

"By the same thing…" At first, Argentum was not getting what the Grand Blue Master was trying to imply. But then, he pondered over it for a bit, realizing what the Grand Blue Master was pertaining to by adding, "…do you mean the 100 points as a reward for this trial?"

"That was a joke, Grand Blue Master," Argentum said after that. "I know that you treat every being that enters this inheritance impartially. I'm already grateful that you've allowed me to have you as a guide thanks to me becoming the Undying Flame Spirit's student. Seriously, that alone is enough."

Responding to Argentum's words of gratitude, the Grand Blue Master said, "With your level of power, what's the point of going through formalities just to arrive at the same ending. You'd be able to easily clear all of them with the power you've just shown me, since almost all of the trials I had planned for you were mostly based on fighting."

"Power determines everything. That's one of the rules I follow in life," the Grand Blue Master continued with his response. "And well, you've shown me that you have enough power to change the course of this trial altogether."

"Since you've gone well beyond the goal of the second trial, I, as the Grand Blue Master, have decided to bestow upon you 135 points, bringing the total amount of points you have to 150," the Grand Blue Master soon announced Argentum's rewards before adding, "If you refuse, then that's just humble-bragging."

In the end, Argentum did not respond to the Grand Blue Master as he silently accepted the Grand Blue Master's reward. It was only after a minute or so did Argentum talk with the Grand Blue Master once again, asking him, "So…what now? Do I continue with the trials?"

"For the sake of keeping up some formalities, you do," the Grand Blue Master replied. He then pondered over what kind of trial would be a good fit for Argentum before finding one type that would make the next few trials interesting. With that in mind, "In this next trial, you won't be allowed to use any other skill you have except for Water-based skills."

"Only Water-based skills?" Hearing this, Argentum wondered what was going on in the Grand Blue Master's mind. He then tried to infer the hidden meaning between his words, concluding that he would probably need to use the points he had obtained just now to increase the amount of Water-based skills he had in preparation for the next trial.

After listening to the Grand Blue Master's next statement, Argentum found out that his assumptions were correct.

"That is one of the reasons why I've given you 135 points as a reward for this second trial. I'll give you around two hours to prepare for the third trial. Of course, within these two hours, you have to choose the skills you want from the shop screen on one end of the room you're in, and enhance them to a decently high level if you want a fighting chance in this next trial." This was what the Grand Blue Master said.

"Your two hours starts now," the Grand Blue Master said after that, before going ahead and conjuring a timer made out of energy on the other side of Argentum's room, gradually ticking down with every second that passes. After looking at the slowly ticking timer for a few seconds, Argentum then went ahead and focused his sense of vision towards the shop screen, knowing the first few skills that he was going to choose.

"[Water Affinity] and [Water Resistance]." At the very instant Argentum arrived in front of the screen, he went ahead and bought these skills, which cost him 25 points. A few seconds later, these two skills soon appeared in his skill list while he continued to look for skills that would enhance his fighting ability in the next trial.

"[Azure Armor], huh. Not a bad defensive skill," Argentum said as he scrolled through the screen, finding a defensive Water-based skill that suited him. This skill cost 20 points, which meant that the performance of this skill was not something to be scoffed at.

"Are there any status boosting skills in here?" Buying the skills he really wanted from the inheritance, as well as a defensive skill, Argentum then moved onto buying one of the most important types of skills he needed to have. Without it, he would not be able to exert a level of power similar to the one he showed in the previous trial. Fortunately, after scrolling for some time, he was able to find one. But after he looked at the price of the skill, he said, "Holy shit. That's expensive."

Nevertheless, Argentum bit the bullet and bought the Water-based status boosting skill with the name [Azure Enhancement]. This skill cost him 45 points, which was the same amount of points needed for him to buy the three previous skills he bought from the shop screen. Just as he was about to continue buying a few more miscellaneous skills in order to fill in the remaining gaps, a thought surfaced in his mind, telling him that the skills he currently had were more than enough.

"Then again, I won't fully focus on the Water element anyway," Argentum said to himself, agreeing with the thought he had in mind. He then added, "I'll just have to grind the skills I've obtained as much as possible. Of course, I'll focus on a few of those skills even more."

"But I still have 60 points left," Argentum muttered to himself. "What should I buy with these points?"

And so, Argentum went ahead and scrolled through the shop screen, wanting to find a skill or two that would leave him with no points left. Surprisingly, Argentum found a skill that fit the bill, which also helped increase his fighting power for the next trial even further. While looking at it, he muttered, "An ultimate skill…huh."

Ding!

'You have obtained the ultimate skill [Azure Wave Art].'

After buying this last skill, Argentum then went ahead and focus all of his attention on grinding all of the skills he had bought from the shop screen.

…

In a deeper portion of the Grand Blue Inheritance.

The Grand Blue Master was sitting on a chair made out of his energy, seriously looking at the screen in front of him. On this screen was none other than Argentum, who was currently assiduously grinding all of his skills. While looking at him, he could not help but mutter to himself, "What made Eleanor choose this Pseudo-Animate as her student?"

"I guess I'll find it out from the source," the Grand Blue Master said after contemplating over it for a while. A few seconds later, he then conjured a large ball of his energy, which was then sent towards a certain direction outside the inheritance. After a minute or so, a large ball of energy, which was familiar to the Grand Blue Master, was sent inside the inheritance, prompting him to use his energy to penetrate through it.

At that instant, the Grand Blue Master felt a connection with a certain being as its voice resounded in his mind.

"So what made the great Grand Blue Master call me, the triumphant Undying Flame Spirit?" this feminine voice resounded in his mind before being followed up with a chuckle. In response, the Grand Blue Master took in a deep breath before telling her in a serious tone, "Eleanor, I want to ask you a question."

"Well this is a rare occurrence," the feminine voice, who was actually Eleanor, said in response to his words before snickering. "Anyways, as long as it doesn't involve money, feel free to ask."

"Did you take in a Pseudo-Animate named Argentum as your student?" the Grand Blue Master soon asked her, to which she responded, "Indeed, I have. What's the problem?"

"What's the reason behind taking that Pseudo-Animate as your student?" he continued to ask before adding, "Also, why did he enter my inheritance?"

"Let me answer your second question first," Eleanor said in response to his question. "The reason why he entered your inheritance was that he was on a journey to learn the skills regarding the four foundational elements. Then again, I might not be right on this one since he did not disclose the reason as to why with me. He just told me that he was going to your inheritance. My answer is just pure inference."

"Anyways, how is he doing in your inheritance? Is he doing great?" she followed up with this question, to which the Grand Blue Master said, "He's doing something I haven't seen from a Normal-grade Pseudo-Animate before. The first trial he underwent was a test of comprehension speed, to which he showed me a monstrous level of comprehension speed. And then, the second trial he underwent was a test of strength, to which he showed a level of strength that's already a few notches lower than ours."

"Eh? That much?" Eleanor could not believe what she was hearing. Although she told Argentum to use the facade of him being her student to cover the reason for knowing the code word, she did not expect that Argentum truly had heaven-defying talent. Just as she was about to inquire more regarding his abilities, the Grand Blue Master went back to his previous train of thought as he asked, "Wait a second, I just asked you the reason as to why you took Argentum in as your student. You haven't answered it yet."

At first, Eleanor became fl.u.s.tered since she did not know what to say. But then, she remembered what the Grand Blue Master told him, letting out a light chuckle as she replied in a confident tone, "I've taken him for the same reason why you're shocked. His insane comprehension speed, as well as his high combat power. If not for that, I wouldn't have even taken him in the first place."

"I see," the Grand Blue Master said to Eleanor, as if he finally understood. He then told her, "Alright, then. I guess I'll have to increase the difficulty of the third trial far higher than I thought. Thanks, Eleanor!"

"No problem!" Eleanor said in response, only to realize what the Grand Blue Master told her.

"…huh?"