Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 241 241: Choosing a manualTimeless AssassinC241 241: Choosing a manual
(Rodova Military Academy, The next day)
Leo never heard back from Alric or Ladina after he walked out of the cabin yesterday, which he took as a positive sign that they had finally decided to leave him alone.
He had really felt himself being cornered when Ladina began using his unknown past against him, however, thanks to [Monarch's Indifference] keeping him calm at all times, he was able to think of a solution quickly enough to flip the situation on her.
'Well... None of it matters anyway. I was never going to agree to stay here another year, no matter what they said. But thankfully, I could resolve it without too much trouble—' Leo thought to himself, as he made his way to the Meditation Manual Selection Archive, with today's goal being clear in his mind.
He needed to pick a meditation manual that would guide him towards reaching the transcendent stage, and it wasn't a choice he could make lightly, as his whole foundation as a warrior would depend on it.
"Good Evening Mr.Skyshard, we have been expecting you— I have received the holographic copy of the previous meditation manual you were practicing, and the records do confirm that you have reached the next stage, which makes you eligible to access the next meditation manual—" The assistant dressed in Rodova's standard uniform said, as he pushed open the doors to the meditation manual selection chamber, and gestured for Leo to follow.
"As a Monarch-tier student, you are eligible to select from the unrestricted section of our Transcendent-grade meditation manuals, I hope you find something you fancy today." The assistant said as he handed over a data slate to Leo.
"Thank you," Leo replied curtly, taking the slate and moving towards one of the small lounge chairs placed near the holographic book shelves.
The room was quiet and smelled faintly of old books and energy crystals, a fitting place for those about to make serious decisions about their future cultivation paths.
Hundreds of options unfolded before him as he began swiping, finding everything from manuals crafted by ancient masters, to those forged by mythical warriors, and even some created by gods themselves—all available within the Rodova Archive.
He sifted through them methodically, eliminating anything that was too elemental-specific, too restrictive, or simply didn't fit his vision for his future self.
As after about an hour of careful reading, he managed to narrow it down to four options.
Four manuals that called out to him for different reasons.
---
1. [Crimson Tyrant Physique]
—Originated from Helmuth the Berserker, one of the three founding gods of the universal government.
This meditation manual focused entirely on reinforcing the body beyond mortal limits, saturating the flesh, blood, and bones with mana so dense that the user's body itself becomes a weapon.
It emphasizes on physical regeneration, brute strength, and overwhelming resilience— at the cost of slowing down mana control and sensitivity.
Pros:
Immense physical durability and strength boost.
Passive regeneration abilities even in combat.
Cons:
Mana becomes harder to manipulate delicately.
Energy-intensive, unsuitable for people with a shallow mana pool.
---
2. [Monarch's Breath]
—Designed personally by Wade the Enigma.
This technique emphasizes on achieving balance above all— merging mind, mana, and body into a single seamless existence, which helps reduce the thinking and response time behind any action.
It enhances both spiritual awareness and combat adaptability, creating a practitioner capable of responding to threats instinctively rather than logically.
And while It doesn't specialize in any single area, it still creates terrifyingly well-rounded warriors.
Pros:
Boosts overall adaptability and combat instinct massively.
Perfect for someone pursuing versatile battlefield supremacy.
Cons:
Slower initial progress compared to hyper-specialized manuals.
Requires extreme emotional control to fully synchronize.
---
3. [Soul Hook Meditation]
—A sinister and intricate technique crafted by Mauriss, the Eternal Deceiver.
Rather than focusing purely on power, this manual focuses on strengthening the user's soul, anchoring their existence so tightly into reality that killing them becomes exponentially harder through methods unknown to anyone but the practitioner of this method.
Known benefits include incredible resistance to mind control illusions and soul attacks— basically making a user immune to anything that targets the consciousness directly.
Pros:
Near immunity to illusions, mental attacks, and soul destruction.
Increases survivability against cursed and spiritual opponents.
Cons:
Slows physical and magical power growth slightly.
Requires constant meditation maintenance or soul destabilization occurs.
---
4. [Sevenfold Revelation Codex]
—A Mysterious and Peerless technique created by Kaelith The Eternal Sovereign.
The Sevenfold Revelation Codex trains the user to slowly unlock the ability to perceive seven hidden layers of intent behind every living being's actions. These layers are said to represent emotions such as anger, joy, ambition and killing intent, to name amongst others.
At early stages, practitioners experience faint emotional ripples when observing others. But as mastery progresses, these subtle hints evolve into a vivid, almost instinctual awareness, letting the user see through lies, treachery, and even predict attacks moments before they happen.
However, despite its allure, very few have ever made any progress training in this method and none except the Eternal Sovereign himself has ever mastered it, fully unlocking all seven layers.
Pros:
Grants the ability to instinctively perceive hidden intentions and emotions during social or combat encounters.
Allows early warning against ambushes, assassinations, and betrayal attempts.
At high mastery, gives a decisive edge in both battlefield command and duels, reading opponents like open books.
Cons:
Extremely slow and difficult progression; each "layer" requires monumental mental fortitude and endless practice.
Incorrect interpretation of perceived intents can backfire, causing mental breakdowns.
Overuse during early stages can cause mental fatigue or emotional instability if the user is overwhelmed by too much external information.
—
Leo leaned back slightly, his fingers tapping lightly against the edge of the slate as he studied the four glowing profiles before him.
Each manual offered power.
Each one had clear strengths— and clear dangers.
But which path aligned with the man he was striving to become?
The Crimson Tyrant Physique was tempting.
The idea of forging a body strong enough to walk through storms and shrug off mortal injuries was appealing— especially after he experienced firsthand during the circuits as to how often overwhelming force could decide the difference between life and death.
But at the same time, he knew brute strength alone didn't suit him. He fought with precision, instinct, and deadly control. Hence, sacrificing finesse for bulk wasn't his path.
In contrast, [Monarch's Breath] was far closer to his natural style.
The thought of merging mind, body, and mana into one seamless existence resonated deeply with him.
As becoming someone who did not need to think before reacting, who simply moved with the flow of battle, was a future that excited him. However, it was still not the best option.
[Soul Control Meditation] held undeniable allure too.
Resistance against mental corruption and soul attacks was rare— and valuable.
But the maintenance requirement, the constant need for meditation just to hold himself together, was a heavy chain to bear, and Leo didn't want to live shackled to rituals.
Which brought him to the final and most dangerous option:
[The Sevenfold Revelation Codex.]
A technique chosen by many, but mastered by none.
None, save for Kaelith, the Eternal Sovereign himself.
And although it was undeniably the riskiest choice, something about the promise of seeing through the layers of human intent stirred a sharp, almost primal yearning within Leo.
Having lost his memories, he had been forced to place blind faith in Muiyan Faye and the handful of instructors who surrounded him.
But moving forward... he no longer wanted to rely on anyone.
He didn't want a future dictated by the words of others, by facades and half-truths.
He wanted to see.
To peer into the hearts of men and grasp the truth hidden behind smiles, lies, ambition, and betrayal.
For in a universe as treacherous as this one, strength alone was not enough.
Trust could be a blade sharper than any dagger, and ignorance could be a noose tightened without warning.
And so, for him—
The ability to read intent was not a luxury.
It was survival itself.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 242 242: Just a Leo FanboyTimeless AssassinC242 242: Just a Leo Fanboy
After confirming his choice of wanting to choose the [The Sevenfold Revelation Codex], Leo walked out of the manual choosing area and headed straight towards dorm number A-44, where a mage specialization student, with a particular set of skills resided.
Rumor had it that this particular guy possessed a method to smuggle skill manuals and scrolls out of the academy, thanks to some special artifact hidden in his possession.
Once outside, his contacts would swiftly replicate the contents before returning the originals— all without anyone inside ever suspecting a thing, which was why his services were rather popular amongst the first years trying to make a quick buck.
Leo understood that it would be impossible for him to fully master a meditation manual within the mere thirty days remaining before the semester ended.
As reaching the Transcendent stage wasn't something that could be rushed.
Even conservatively, it would take him at least a few years of relentless practice to reach the stage, if not a full decade.
Which was why he knew just how crucial it was to have this manual replicated before he left.
As without it, he would lose access to his daily progress meter once his time at the academy ended, making future progress far more difficult.
—-------
*Knock*
*Knock*
Leo rapped his knuckles twice on the door marked A-44, standing casually in the dimly lit hallway of the dormitory block.
A few seconds passed before there was a shuffling sound behind the door— followed by a click as it swung open.
Standing behind it was a lanky young man with messy auburn hair, thick glasses slipping down his nose, and an unbuttoned Rodova uniform draped loosely over his frame.
The moment Roger— the infamous "smuggler" of the first-years— recognized who was standing at his doorstep, he practically froze mid-motion.
His eyes widened into perfect saucers, darting between Leo's stoic face and the tiny Leo Skyshard action figurine sitting proudly atop a cluttered desk behind him.
"Oh my god... It's you! It's Leo Skyshard himself!" Roger gasped, pointing frantically between Leo and the miniature model.
He let out a choked laugh, running both hands through his hair in disbelief.
"I've always wanted to talk to you, you're like one of my heroes— Please, please, come in!" Roger said hastily, stepping aside and motioning him into the cramped but surprisingly well-organized room.
Leo nodded once and stepped inside, as the door clicked shut behind them.
Roger tried to compose himself, clearing his throat awkwardly as he practically buzzed with excitement.
"So... uh... what can I do for you, Mr. Skyshard?" he asked eagerly, clasping his hands in front of him like a nervous intern meeting a celebrity.
As Leo wasted no time and presented his demands.
"I need you to replicate something for me," he said, voice calm but carrying the unmistakable weight of seriousness.
Roger blinked.
"Replicate?" he echoed, his enthusiasm dimming slightly as he adjusted his glasses. "A skill scroll? Or a library book?"
"A meditation manual," Leo clarified, handing over the data slate with the authorization code for the [Sevenfold Revelation Codex].
The moment Roger read the label, his whole body stiffened.
"T-Transcendent-grade?" he sputtered, staring at Leo like he had just asked him to forge a starship out of scrap metal.
Leo only nodded once.
For a long moment, Roger looked deeply uncomfortable, fidgeting in place as he weighed his next words carefully.
"Look... I can smuggle it out for you. That part's doable," he said slowly.
"But copying a Transcendent-level meditation manual... that's an entirely different problem, im not sure I can do."Roger said, as his words made Leo frown.
"What's wrong? I'll pay you whatever you want…." Leo said, as he assured Roger to not worry about payments, however, Roger only shook his head in response.
"It's not about the money, sir, the problem behind creating or replicating a manual is that a warrior can only ever create a manual that's one grade lower than their cultivation and only ever replicate a manual that's the same grade." Roger began, as he adjusted his glasses.
"Meaning— if you're a Grandmaster, the best you can personally create is a Master-grade manual.
But if you were a Monarch, you can produce up to Transcendent-grade stuff, that's original and created by you."
He said while pacing a few steps nervously around the room.
"And while you need to be the same grade as the manual to copy it.
The manual you have brought me is Transcendent grade, which means I have to somehow find a Transcendent grade warrior to copy it for you.
And not just any Transcendent Warrior will do.
I need to find a Transcendent Warrior who is also a scribe and can endure the strain of replicating every rune, energy channel, and structure embedded inside without their life force collapsing."
Leo stayed silent, absorbing the information, as Roger continued, wringing his hands.
"Copying a meditation manual isn't like copying a normal scroll. It burns life force. A lot of it. It's a process that strains the soul itself— which is why most people only ever dare replicate lower-grade stuff for quick money."
He looked at Leo almost pleadingly.
"And finding a trustworthy Transcendent-level warrior on the outside? Someone who won't steal the copy, leak the existence of the manual, or try to blackmail you later?"
Roger shook his head miserably.
"That's very hard. The smugglers I usually work with for Grandmaster-level stuff are all people I know—people I can track down and punish if they cross me. But Transcendents?" He gave a helpless shrug. "Different league."
Leo's gaze sharpened slightly.
"Are you saying it's impossible?"
Roger hesitated.
"I'm saying... it's very risky." he said. "And it's very expensive."
Leo didn't move. He simply continued staring at Roger with that steady, patient intensity that made it clear he wasn't walking away.
Under that pressure, Roger visibly wilted.
He rubbed the back of his neck, muttered something under his breath, then finally threw up his hands.
"You know what? Screw it. You're Leo Skyshard," he said, grinning half-crazily. "I'll do it. I'll find someone."
"But it's going to cost you," he added quickly, raising a finger. "Two hundred thousand MP. Non-negotiable."
Leo nodded almost instantly, as if the amount meant nothing to him.
"Done," he said.
As Roger blinked again, clearly expecting a harder negotiation.
But seeing Leo's unwavering acceptance, he realized exactly what kind of man he was dealing with.
Leo Skyshard wasn't a peasant, and could actually pay 200,000 to have a manual copied, even though it was the same amount of money as a professor's yearly salary.
"Alright then," Roger said, voice firming up slightly. "Give me two days. I'll arrange it."
Leo turned toward the door, pausing just long enough to throw a short nod over his shoulder.
"Two days," he repeated. "Don't disappoint me, Roger."
Then he was gone, leaving Roger staring after him— half-thrilled, half-terrified at the job he had just agreed to undertake.
"I have to do this! I must not disappoint Leo Skyshard….. hahaha. This will be a story that my grandkids will tell their grandkids when Leo becomes a Monarch someday.
That their old man used to smuggle manuals for Monarch Leo Skyshard in Rodova!
Hahahaha—-" Roger said to himself, as he resolved to get this done anyhow.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 243 243: It's OfficialTimeless AssassinC243 243: It's Official
The next few days passed in the blink of an eye for Leo, as he spent most of his free time sharpening the two new skills he had acquired, while also preparing for the final exams looming ahead.
It was the last semblance of peace— the final stretch of routine and order— that he would experience for a very long time.
And so, he made the most of every day, training with quiet determination, fully aware that the life waiting beyond Rodova would be nothing short of chaos.
Unfortunately, Su Yang continued to avoid him during this period, maintaining the cold distance he had set between them.
News of their fallout spread quickly across campus, as given how inseparable the two had been before, their sudden estrangement became the talk of the town— but Leo paid little attention to such gossip.
In just a few more days, he would be gone from Rodova for good.
With his Black Serpents recruitment interview already scheduled for the day after graduation, Leo could feel the finish line drawing closer with every passing hour.
And for the first time in a long while, the future felt both thrilling— and terrifyingly uncertain.
—---------
(Meanwhile, on Planet Tithia)
If Ixtal was the spiritual heart of the Evil Cult— home to the divine presence of God Soron— then Tithia served as its operational brain.
It was here that the cult's elders maintained their offices, its armies trained, and the real machinery of power ground forward day after day.
And while Leo prepared to conclude his student life at Rodova, across the stars, the Twelfth Elder of the Evil Cult, Noir Ashburn— better known by his moniker, The Dead Man— finally secured an audience he had been seeking for weeks.
As Muiyan Faye's direct handler and a powerful figure in his own right, Noir had spent considerable effort trying to arrange a meeting with the First Elder— the de facto head of the Elder Council and the true wielder of executive power within the Cult.
However, with the First Elder overwhelmed by internal crises ever since the abduction of Darnell Nuna, as it was only now, after prolonged delays, that Noir was finally summoned for a formal audience.
"You have done well to keep the boy hidden so far... and I can see why you are so excited about him," the First Elder said, his tone thoughtful.
"A talent like his is exceedingly rare— even among the Dragon Candidates.
Even I was impressed by the boy's performance during the Circuits," he admitted, stroking his beard with one hand while casually brewing tea with the other.
"We have lost far too many Dragon Candidates in the past, due to internal betrayal within the guild," the Twelfth Elder, Noir, said quietly, accepting the cup of tea the First Elder handed him.
"I do not intend to repeat the same mistakes we made with Noah."
He paused, letting the words settle before continuing.
"I propose we wait— at least until he reaches the Transcendent Realm— before acknowledging him formally as the Dragon. Only then will he be strong enough to survive the chaos that follows." Noir said, as the First Elder calmly stroked his beard in response.
For a long moment, the First Elder said nothing.
Then, as if reaching a decision, he spoke carefully, his voice low and deliberate.
"Ensure that his past is erased completely... and that he is properly indoctrinated into the Cult in the coming months.
You have my full support to groom the boy as you see fit."
He paused briefly, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"However, be warned— the Fourth Elder's faction is preparing a Dragon Candidate of their own in the shadows.
You are racing against time, Noir.
If the Fourth Elder's candidate seizes legitimacy before your boy is ready, the matter will be brought before the council... and we will be forced to put the title of Dragon to a vote."
"My hold over the council is weakening. The once calmer heads are now gravitating towards the fourth elder and his radical plans to set the cult on a war-path against the righteous faction.
And if the matter does go to a vote, he won't need to convince too many to have his boy selected—" The first elder warned, as Noir raised his eyebrow in alarm.
Even he understood the political undercurrents within the Elders council.
He was by far the youngest and the weakest Elder, while everyone else was more or less old monsters, with the first and fourth elders being one of the strongest.
For years, the First Elder had kept the Elders Council a place where calmed heads prevailed over the radical voices, however, with the fourth elders recent success in managing to kidnap Darnell Nuna, the tides were inevitably shifting.
The common netizens had celebrated the destruction of the Sky-God Arena as a festival, and the morale of the Evil Cult workers was at an all time high despite the excessive Universal Government crackdown.
All this, made the Fourth Elder very popular currently, and only emboldened his followers within the council.
"I'll keep your warning in mind, First Elder, thankyou for your time—" Noir said, as he put his cup down, as both him and the First Elder stood up at the same time.
"I won't interfere in your choice to send him to the Black Serpents Guild, if you feel like that is the best place for him to grow.
However, remember that you can always bring him to Tithia if things go wrong, and that although we haven't trained a dragon in the last twenty five years, we have not forgotten how to do it either—" The First Elder said, as Noir respectfully bowed to him.
"I will keep that in mind, First Elder—" Noir said, before taking his leave, as he let out a long sigh on his way back.
If possible, he wanted to bring Leo to Tithia at the earliest possible date, however, his paranoia surrounding the circumstances leading to Noah's death, did not allow him to introduce Leo to the cult just yet.
Strangely enough, he felt that the world outside was safer for Leo than the very Cult that was supposed to worship him as their savior.
And deep down, he was certain— he could not introduce Leo to the Cult just yet.
Not at least for a few more years at the least, until he became a transcendent level warrior capable of fending for himself.
However, that didn't mean today's meeting was without its victories.
For one, he had officially reported to the First Elder that Leo Skyshard was a hidden asset he was cultivating in the shadows— and received full approval to continue grooming him as the next Dragon Candidate, a decision that gave a much-needed boost to Noir's morale.
Additionally, he secured something even more valuable: the First Elder's permission to invoke his name if necessary, allowing him to mobilize the Cult's deepest assets to quietly erase any lingering traces of Leo's past that might someday surface and cause trouble.
Both of these developments were reasons for celebration, as after today, no record of Leo Skyshard's life before Rodova would exist anywhere across the universe.
From this day forward, Leo was no longer just a pawn wandering unknowingly through fate.
And was now officially a hidden son of the Cult of Ascension.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 244 244: Final AwakeningTimeless AssassinC244 244: Final Awakening
(Rodova Military Academy, Genetic Awakening Chamber)
Just one week before the final exams, Leo and Su Yang were escorted by Major Hen toward the Genetic Awakening Chamber to receive their fifth and final Genetic Awakening Shot.
Unlike the earlier injections, the fifth shot carried the heaviest dose, designed as the final gamble to awaken whatever dormant potential still slumbered deep within their bloodlines.
After this, their Genetic Awakening would be considered complete, and the ceilings of their futures as warriors would be sealed— for better or worse.
*Step*
*Step*
As they made their way toward the chamber, Hen walked a few paces ahead, casting sharp glances over his shoulder at the two boys trailing behind him, his face curled into a frown as the tension between Leo and Su Yang was impossible to ignore.
"What's going on between you two? Why are you walking ten feet apart?" Hen asked bluntly, his tone more curious than accusatory.
However, Su Yang offered no response.
He kept walking with his gaze fixed forward and his jaw rigid with unspoken anger.
While Leo only shrugged, his face unreadable, his gray eyes distant as if the question itself wasn't worth answering.
Hen frowned but didn't press the matter. Friends fought sometimes. It wasn't his business. And besides, they had bigger things to focus on today.
—-------
Inside the Awakening Chamber, the military doctors already seemed to be waiting for Leo and Su Yang to show up, as they prepared their dosage shots.
Without ceremony, Leo and Su Yang were guided into adjacent pods— their usual ones which they had used all year.
Leo caught a glimpse of Su Yang looking at him through the transparent glass, his golden eyes angry, while his muscles remained taut like coiled wire.
'What?' he mouthed, however, Su Yang only angrily looked away and did not offer more words or looks, as the doctors injected them with the serum shots simultaneously.
—---------
(Su Yang's pod)
The moment the serum entered his bloodstream, Su Yang felt it.
A firestorm ignited inside him, tearing through every vein, every bone, every fiber of his being just like it had several times before.
His muscles spasmed violently as his bones elongated slightly, his entire skeletal frame creaking under the intense, brutal transformation.
He gritted his teeth, refusing to cry out, even as the pain hammered him without mercy.
He could feel his body changing— his lungs expanding, his limbs thickening, his core strengthening in ways that defied explanation.
His mana circuits, once narrow and strained, were widening by the second, becoming wider and more robust.
Somewhere deep within his mind, flashes of unfamiliar memories surfaced— echoes of warriors from his prestigious bloodline.
New memories, new instincts, a raw new skill weaving itself into his very consciousness.
When the stabilization systems finally slowed the serum's rush, Su Yang lay still, his heart hammering against his chest, a thin sheen of sweat clinging to his forehead.
As he seemed to have survived it.
He had evolved.
And he had gained a lot from the fifth shot.
—---------
(Meanwhile in Leo's pod)
At first, Leo's body reacted similarly to Su Yang, in the sense that his pulse skyrocketed, his muscles stiffened, and pain wracked his every cell.
But then, something different began to happen.
Something not written in any academy handbook, or the recorded history of Genetic Awakening in general.
A strange, unnatural pressure bloomed in the center of his torso, not in his heart, not in his lungs, but in the empty space nestled between his diaphragm and his ribs.
It started as a tight knot of heat, barely noticeable at first, but within moments, it blossomed into an unbearable storm, a vortex of energy so dense and violent that it felt as though the very fabric of his body was being torn apart.
The pod's stabilizers whirred urgently, adjusting their systems to contain whatever anomaly was unfolding, but the pressure only grew worse.
Leo's vision blurred, his chest heaving painfully as his body instinctively tried to fight the transformation.
Because he could feel it— something alien, something ancient, something building itself inside him.
He could feel a new organ forming.
It throbbed painfully at first, consuming mana like a black hole, weaving itself strand by strand into his very being and embedding itself into his core.
Pain lashed through him with every pulse, but Leo held on grimly, clenching his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his own palms, blood dripping into the pod's fluid suspension system.
He could feel the new organ syncing with his natural heart, refining the volatile serum flooding his veins into something pure, something terrifying.
As from that moment onwards, he suddenly experienced rapid improvements in every physical and mana related aspect of his body.
His muscle fibers improved in quality.
His bones strengthened.
His lungs expanded in size and many such qualitative changes occured to not just his body but also to his mana circuit, which became smoother than ever before.
—---------
Meanwhile, outside the pods
Major Hen hovered over the monitoring panels, his eyes narrowing as he watched the data streams.
Su Yang's vitals were elevated but within expectations.
But then, as he looked at Leo's panel, he almost couldn't believe what he was seeing.
[Warning: Mana Heart Formation Detected]
The words blinked furiously across the screen, flashing red again and again.
Hen's stomach dropped.
Mana Heart?
What even was a mana heart? He had never heard of it before.
He tapped the screen frantically, pulling up the academy database, but there was nothing useful, except Sparse theories and Unverified legends.
None of it prepared him for seeing it happen live.
"What the hell is happening to you Skyshard?" Hen muttered under his breath, anxiety gnawing at his chest.
He could only pray Leo survived it.
Because no medical textbook in the universe could guide them now.
—---------
Inside the pod
Leo exhaled slowly through gritted teeth, feeling the newborn Mana Heart synchronize with every beat of his original heart.
The pain hadn't disappeared— it simply became something he accepted, something he wore like a second skin.
However, despite the searing pain that wracked his body, Leo could feel it— the undeniable change coursing through him.
The blood flowing through his veins grew heavier, richer, more potent with every heartbeat, while the mana threading through his circuits became sharper, denser, almost electric in its vibrancy.
It was as if his very existence was being reforged at the most fundamental level, purified beyond the natural limits of mortal flesh.
'What is this? What is this feeling?' Leo wondered, gritting his teeth as an unnatural heat bloomed fiercely near the center of his chest, radiating outward like a second sun.
His Mana Heart roared into full activation, pumping raw mana alongside blood with every synchronized thrum, the two streams intertwining and nourishing each other with terrifying efficiency.
It was overwhelming.
It was agonizing.
But it was also exhilarating.
Because deep down, Leo knew— this power wasn't something that could be given or inherited.
It was something he was birthing within himself.
As the final pulses of the Awakening Serum settled, and the chamber's alarms gradually faded back into a low hum, Leo remained lying silently within the pod, his gray eyes half-lidded but burning with a new, unshakable intensity.
He wasn't fully sure what he had become or what was the reason behind him unlocking a new organ during his final awakening, however, what he did know for sure, was that he had never felt stronger than this ever before.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 245 245: Resolving DifferencesTimeless AssassinC245 245: Resolving Differences
(Rodova Military Academy, Genetic Awakening Chamber)
Once the neuro-pods hissed open, Major Hen immediately moved in, supporting both boys out of their capsules and toward the recovery room.
For the first time since Leo's arrival at Rodova, Hen felt the boy's weight against his shoulder— unsteady, heavy, exhausted.
'He's never leaned on me before,' Hen thought, glancing sideways at the pale young man beside him. 'Not even after his first shot. If he's doing it now… his body must be truly battered.'
After carefully helping Leo onto the recovery bed, Hen wasted no time pulling up his data-slate and running a series of keyword searches on the term flashing still in red across Leo's vitals panel:
[Mana Heart – Formation Confirmed]
What he found left him more confused than reassured.
According to every available source, the 'Mana Heart' wasn't supposed to exist in humans— at all.
There were no confirmed cases of a human being born with such an organ, nor were there any reports of one forming as a result of Genetic Awakening, making Leo's case the first of its kind.
The little information that did exist traced the phenomenon back to a very specific source: Ancestral Dragons.
All ancestral dragons were born with a Mana Heart, though the organ didn't fully activate until adulthood. Its primary function was to act as a filtration and compression chamber—removing impurities and enriching both blood and mana before pumping it back into circulation.
This filtration granted ancestral dragons a staggering edge in both longevity and combat.
Some estimates even claimed that a fully awakened Mana Heart could boost a dragon's lifespan by centuries and increase their battle capability by up to 30%.
It was the reason why, even among dragons of the same tier, the presence or absence of an active Mana Heart created a difference as vast as sky and earth.
After all, the purer the mana flowing through one's circuits, the stronger the output of even the most basic techniques.
It was the same logic that allowed a Transcendent-tier warrior to unleash a [Fireball] spell that would vaporize an entire canyon—while a Master-tier could barely melt stone with the same move.
However, while rudimentary studies existed on Mana Hearts in dragons—what little existed regarding their transplant or formation in humans was grim.
A few desperate warriors had once attempted to surgically transmute the Mana Hearts of slain dragons into themselves, but all of them had died within days—suffering violent systemic rejection as the foreign organ slowly poisoned their bodies from the inside.
There had never been a case of a human forming one naturally.
Until now.
Hen rubbed the back of his neck, staring blankly at the screen.
"This… this isn't supposed to be possible," he muttered aloud, torn between awe and concern. "Just what the hell are you becoming, Leo Skyshard?"
*Sigh*
[Forward Report To Principal]
Hen forwarded the report to Principal Alric at once, hoping that perhaps he would have access to more information.
—-------
Meanwhile within the recovery room, Leo and Su Yang lay side by side, bruised and battered— breathing in sync beneath the faint hum of medical monitors.
Su Yang broke the silence first, his voice hoarse but laced with a half-crazed grin.
"I can't believe this is the last time, Skyshard… I can't believe you're really leaving."
Leo turned his head slightly, a weary smile tugging at his lips despite the ache burning through every inch of his body.
"About time you spoke, princess. You've had quite the royal attitude the past few days," he murmured, his voice dry and raspy.
Su Yang coughed out a laugh, then chuckled deeper— something caught between amusement and regret.
"Yeah, I'm still mad at you. But… this might be the last peaceful moment we get. So I figured— why the hell not?"
His voice turned quieter, gentler.
"I wanted to recruit you as my right hand, Skyshard. And I say right hand —metaphorically. You'd always be my equal. My brother."
Leo didn't interrupt, just listened in silence.
"You know I'm one of the successors to the Su family patriarch position. Once this academy chapter ends… I'm going to be dragged into a world of politics, bloodline alliances, and cold, suffocating power games."
Su Yang's throat bobbed as he swallowed hard.
"I thought… no, I hoped— we'd have one year. One final year to fight side by side, to battle like hell, to push each other to our limits and kick some Geneva ass before the wolves came for me."
He glanced sideways, voice cracking slightly.
"But without you, it just feels... gray. The one rival who could keep me sharp, the one man who made the spars feel exciting— will now be gone."
He exhaled, a long, bitter breath.
"I don't even know what to look forward to anymore. It's like a fog's already rolling in, and I haven't even left yet."
Leo said nothing— because he knew Su Yang wasn't done.
"You're like a storm, Skyshard," Su Yang muttered, his voice softer now. "You move on instinct. You think five steps ahead, but never bother telling anyone where you're going. Half the time I don't get you, and the other half… I guess wrong."
There was no malice in his tone, only truth.
"I respect what you're doing for Darnell. Hell, it's the kind of honor I wish I had in me. But what pisses me off is that you didn't talk to me. Not once. You just made your decision and moved like I wasn't even part of your calculations."
His voice trembled slightly, not from anger— but from vulnerability.
"Maybe I'm overreacting. Maybe it's not that deep. But when you treat everything like it doesn't matter, sometimes… I feel like I don't either."
A pause. Then, a low chuckle.
"You're such an asshole, Skyshard, no wonder I'm your only friend." Su Yang added, laughing now for real— nervous at first, but slowly easing into something freer. Looser.
And somewhere between the laughter and the silence, Leo's own chuckle joined his.
It wasn't loud, nor long.
But it was real.
And just like that, the weight between them— days of cold shoulders, unsaid words, and bottled emotion— began to dissolve.
"Who knows, Yang," Leo said at last, his voice faint but steady. "Maybe one day, if you do need a blade in your corner during that patriarch struggle… you'll find me there."
Then, after a brief pause, he added with a smirk, "Besides, it's not like I'm dying. I'm still alive, aren't I? We'll meet again for sure…."
Su Yang turned his head, looking at him through half-lidded eyes.
"True," he whispered, as he nodded his head.
"Promise me you'll be there when I need you, and I'll promise you the same—" Su Yang said, his eyes opening sharply now, as Leo nodded back in acknowledgement.
"I'll try my best, that much I promise—"
—------------
(Meanwhile Principal Alric's Office)
Principal Alric's gaze flicked to the blinking notification on the corner of his data-slate.
[URGENT: Subject Leo Skyshard | Genetic Awakening Status Anomaly Detected]
He tapped it once, his fingers hovering over the "View Report" button.
Then, with a tired sigh, he closed the tab entirely.
"He's not our problem anymore, let the Black Serpents deal with their precious prodigy." He said to himself, as he tossed the matter aside, without even checking on what the anomaly was.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 246 246: Leaving RodovaTimeless AssassinC246 246: Leaving Rodova
The next few days passed in a quiet rush for Leo.
He poured every spare moment into mastering his two newly acquired skills— [Storm Flash Traverse] and [Astral Hook Bind]— drilling the foundational movements into muscle memory until he managed to reach (basic) proficiency in both skills just two days before the final exams began.
His body seemed to accept the Mana Heart now, as he saw remarkable increases in his strength, endurance, agility and spell output, which almost made him feel like an entirely different warrior.
As a result, when the final exams rolled around.
He aced all the physical training parameters, even outshining Su Yang.
While also scoring first place in Practical Combat and Basics Of Perception class, achieving perfect score in all of the core subjects.
However, the real challenge for him was never these subjects, as Leo knew he could pass them with his eyes closed, as his real challenge was always passing the basics of magic theory class, after David caught on to how he was cheating to pass during the circuits.
However, to his shock, David said nothing during the finals exams after handing him his sheet of paper, nor did he try to prevent him from cheating like he did in the midterms, as although he knew how he was cheating, David turned a blind eye to his behaviour, allowing him to pass with ease.
Perhaps it was his performance in the circuits that softened David up, or perhaps it was the fact that he was leaving the academy at the end of the semester, and David did not wish for him to linger around for a retest.
But either way, he let him pass with ease, with Leo also managing to pass the potions class and stealth class to receive his provisional degree for completing one year at Rodova.
—---------
The goodbyes that followed were all swift.
Leo bid farewell to Su Yang with a silent nod and a firm handshake, the two brothers exchanging no words apart from a silent promise to meet again someday.
Mu Shen offered a respectful bow, and a short hug, thanking Leo for all the memories made together.
While Mu Ryan shed a tear as she said, "Don't die out there, big brother. We still need someone to beat Su Yang someday when he gets too arrogant."
Leo only smirked, patting her on the head on his way out.
However, before leaving, Leo stopped by Dorm A-44, for one last time, as he handed to Roger a cashiers cheque for 200,000 MP.
"Two hundred thousand MP, as promised."
Roger took it with reverence, both hands shaking.
"You're a legend, Sir Leo. Seriously. I'll tell this story till I die... you'll find your copied manual delivered to you as soon as you step outside the academy and walk for about 200 paces. Just take it and run—" Roger informed, as Leo offered him a rare half-smile before turning away.
—-------
Leo's last stop before leaving Rodova was meeting Muiyan Faye.
The woman looked at him with proud eyes and a precious grin, as she handed over to him two parting gifts.
The first gift was a dagger set, a different one from the Horizon set he was currently using, with varying types of twisted and spiral blades, that he could use during tough combat missions.
And the second gift was a small spatial storage ring, inside which Leo could store all of his essentials during his time outside the safety of Rodova.
"I've stocked it with all the essential potions you may need in an emergency and some miscellaneous items such as smoke bombs and poison vials.
I've also stored inside a communication crystal that you can infuse your mana into to call me anytime from anywhere in the universe.
And a list of emergency contacts across various planets, in-case you ever lose the crystal, or are in need of finding a safe house" Faye said, as Leo accepted both gifts with a gracious bow.
"I'll be calling you very soon once I clear the Black Serpents Guild Entrance Interview, will you be able to come over to Twin-Fang planet to restore my memories? Or will I have to fly back here to get them?" Leo asked, as Faye shook her head in denial.
"I'll be nearby, don't worry" she replied with a mysterious smile, as Leo nodded and made his way outside her room, and towards the exit of Rodova Military Academy.
—---------
Once outside the academy gates, the actual planet Rodova stretched before him, as Leo felt baffled looking at the vast metropolitan city.
Having lived a sheltered life within academy walls, Leo had never seen much of the actual planet apart from some aerial views that he enjoyed right after take off or while landing into the academy hangar.
"Well…. Time to find Roger's mysterious contact—" Leo muttered to himself, as he walked two hundred paces in the direction Roger had instructed him to, where he found a cloaked figure waiting beneath a solitary transport beacon, his face obscured and his presence muted.
"Leo Skyshard?" The man asked, as Leo nodded in confirmation.
Without another word, the man handed over a hardbound book which happened to be a precise copy of the [The Sevenfold Revelation Codex].
Leo accepted it, feeling the cold leather of the book warm-up on his touch, as he flipped open the book to confirm its contents before giving the man a nod as he continued to walk forwards.
His destination was the interstellar transport shuttle, from where he intended to catch a transport ship to the Black Serpents Guild Headquarters.
It was about a 20 minute walk, and once there, he found a small ship capable of making the journey, and boarded it without any reservation.
*Hiss*
As the ship doors sealed shut with a hiss and the engines began to hum, the onboard AI asked:
"Destination?"
Leo answered without hesitation.
"Twin Fang Planet. Headquarters of the Black Serpents Guild." As the ship whirred into motion and the screen loading the expected time of arrival at roughly [40 hours 23 minutes].
—------------ xxxxx —----------
END OF VOLUME 2
—------------ xxxxx —----------
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 247 247: A World Untouched By TimeTimeless AssassinC247 247: A World Untouched By Time
Timeless Assassin, Volume.3
(A World Untouched By Time)
—---------------
Me and my colleagues once had the opportunity to study a Tainted creature who had accidentally made its way out of a Still World.
What struck us wasn't its strength, nor the degradation of its form— but the clarity of its madness. It spoke of memories that never existed, wars that never happened, and gods that had already died.
To the Tainted, truth is a moldable thing— bent by delusion, reshaped by agony, and sharpened into faith.
They do not scream because they are in pain.
They scream because they want you to believe it's beautiful.
— Professor Alin Drex, Chrono-Biological Anomalies and Mana Degradation, Volume 112.
—---------------
(Black Serpents Guild Headquarters, Twin-Fang Planet)
*Clack*
*Clack*
Antonio's boots clicked rhythmically against the marble-black tiles of his office floor, the sound echoing faintly off the walls before fading into silence.
He walked with purpose, but without direction, tracing the same invisible path over and over again like a prisoner pacing the length of his cell, except this one was adorned with velvet drapes, ancient weapons, and a desk that hadn't been touched in over a week.
It had been forty days.
Forty days since Dupravel Nuna— the man that even other Monarchs feared to face in battle— had stepped into that cursed tear in space.
And was yet to come back from.
No one else knew.
The rest of the Black Serpents moved through their days with practiced obedience and quiet ignorance, unaware that the heartbeat of the guild had gone silent.
There had been no announcement, no emergency protocols, no shift in command.
Only Antonio knew where the Guildmaster had gone, and more importantly, how long he was supposed to be gone.
Because contrary to what the name suggested, a time-stilled world wasn't truly frozen in time.
No— time still moved there, but it just moved wrong.
Slower.
Denser.
Like trudging through molasses while the rest of the universe sprinted ahead.
One day outside the tear was equal to a hundred inside. A paradise for anyone looking to train in isolation, to squeeze decades of progress into mere weeks— if they were willing to risk everything else that is.
Because what people didn't understand, or rather what most refused to understand, was that a Still World wasn't a training ground.
It was a graveyard.
A half-dead wound in space, cut off from the rest of the universe, and a world where mana had long since stopped flowing and begun festering.
What once was pure energy, like the mana found in the rainbow stream of cosmic energy had, over the centuries, grown stagnant in the time still worlds and had curdled into something poisonous.
The mana inside a Still World was no longer a river but a stagnant pool, long uncleaned, long forgotten, its waters thick with decay, unfit for even the lowest of beasts.
It didn't kill outright, but rather seeped into the cracks of one's soul, altering thought, corroding memory, and burying whatever remained beneath, leaving behind something that although still looked human— was anything but human.
And that was the biggest reason behind why, once awareness about the dangers of a Time-Stilled world began to spread, there was almost no-one who entered such spatial tears willingly anymore.
Because once the body began circulating that tainted mana, although it became abnormally stronger— it also started to become unstable.
Rage came first. Then obsession. Then delusion.
And then came the silence—
The kind that settled in one's mind like fog, until they forgot why they entered the time stilled world in the first place.
People who lived inside the still world for a long time, often forgot their own names, forgot the sound of their own voice, and most often than not forgot that there ever was a world beyond the still one.
As the time passed, the world corrupted them entirely, changing them into something they were not, which those in the outside universe referred to as 'The Tainted'.
'The Tainted' were creatures with immense power but no morality.
A powerful form, but no sentient memory.
They no longer knew what they had been, only what they had become.
And Dupravel… had now been inside such a world for forty days. Which meant, for him, over four thousand days had already passed.
*Clack*
*Clack*
*Pause—*
Antonio stopped pacing, the weight of that number sitting heavier than ever on his chest. Four thousand days. Alone. Surrounded by nothing but poisoned mana and the howls of the lost.
'Not even a Monarch can endure that unscathed. Not mentally. Not spiritually—' Antonio thought, as he clicked his tongue in regret.
He had trusted Dupravel to come out of that forsaken realm in under 3 days.
He had believed that such a time frame would be enough for Dupravel to map out the world and its threats and make a plan to retrieve the origin metal stored inside.
However, he was wrong.
It had been 40 days now, and if Dupravel did not return in a couple more days, Antonio would be forced to treat him as a lost cause.
"I don't even know what I'll do without you," Antonio muttered in exasperation, as he felt truly lost without Dupravel.
He was Dupravel's first real friend and follower, who was riding his coattails from before Dupravel had even become a Transcendent level warrior.
He was there when Dupravel had founded the Black Serpents Guild, and was present when he killed the Dragon Noah and claimed his treasure.
Never before had he ever worried about Dupravel and him returning from a battle alive, as never before had Dupravel ever failed to return from even the deadliest of battles.
However, this time, for the first time since he began following Dupravel about a century ago, Antonio no longer felt sure if he'd ever see him again.
Not as the same man, at least.
Because while everything else inside a Still World moved slowly.
Madness, as it turned out, was always fast to catch in there.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 248: Dupravel ReturnsTimeless AssassinC248: Dupravel Returns
(Black Serpents Guild Headquarters, Twin-Fang Planet, two days later)
The commotion began as a whisper.
A distant tremor in the ground.
A strange flicker of mana surging as a disheveled figure wandered toward the guild gates in tattered, bloodstained robes that no longer held shape or status.
The man looked filthy as he limped on all fours like an ape, and was covered in black grime and dried blood— his face hidden beneath a tangled beard and sunken shadows where eyes should have been.
The outer guards paused, confused.
They had never seen someone like this on Twin Fang Planet, where no beggars lived, and hence they immediately became cautious.
"Sir, you can't be here. This is Black Serpents property, please identify yourself or face detention" one barked, stepping forward, hand on his weapon.
However, the figure said nothing in response.
The guard raised his voice. "Last warning. Identify yourself or be detained—!"
And then came the flash.
Not of light, but of death.
A single slash, that was both silent and effortless, as it tore through air like divine judgment, cleaving the front half of the guild building as though it were made of paper.
*KABOOM*
The sky shuddered. Walls collapsed. Entire sections of the compound crumbled, catching dozens of staff and elite soldiers in the wave of obliteration.
"AARGGHH—-"
*Chaos*
*Screams*
*Panic*
Screams followed. Then alarms.
Red sirens wailed across the complex as defensive protocols activated. Spells ignited. Auto-turrets locked in.
Within seconds, the guild's inner elites were on the scene with their blades drawn, mana flaring, each one ready to strike down the intruder that had just massacred their comrades and razed half their sanctuary to the ground.
Until they saw Vice Guildmaster Antonio, bursting onto the scene, cloak flying, eyes wide in disbelief.
"STAND DOWN!" Antonio roared, his voice cracking across the courtyard like a thunderclap.
"ALL OF YOU, STAND DOWN, NOW!" He said again, as the Black Serpent soldiers hesitated, feeling confused.
"But Vice-Guildmaster, it's—"
"That's him!" Antonio yelled, breath ragged. "That's the guildmaster!"
No one moved. Not until the creature standing amidst the rubble turned its head, baring its teeth, letting out a low, guttural growl more animal than human.
Antonio took a step forward, slow and deliberate, his palms held out.
"Dupravel," he said softly, voice trembling. "It's me. It's Antonio."
Another growl. Lower this time. Sharper.
Antonio kept walking. "I'm not here to hurt you, brother. You're home now. You made it back. We'll fix this. You'll see."
Behind him, the elites looked on in horror as the Guildmaster of the Black Serpents, the supreme monarch they had once revered— stood hunched, eyes feral, body twitching with wild mana surges, like a beast in the throes of starvation and rage.
"GET THE CLARITY POTIONS!" Antonio snapped without turning. "ALL OF THEM! BRING THE MIND-HEALERS NOW!"
He didn't care how many saw it. He didn't care how undignified it was.
This wasn't about the guild anymore.
This was about saving what little remained of his friend.
—----------
(Crystal Chamber, Medical Wing – 3 hours later)
Dupravel sat curled in the center of the reinforced chamber, twitching every few seconds, as his eyes flicked toward unseen enemies.
His nails were cracked, jagged and caked in dried blood.
His lips were split.
His robes—once royal—now hung in shredded clumps off his body, blackened by tainted mana burns.
His skin was peeled in patches, raw muscle and bone visible underneath, while his aura flickered and collapsed like a dying flame trying to reignite.
He refused to let anyone near him, forcing the healers to work from afar, as they cast gentle mind-calming spells.
Antonio stood just outside the containment barrier, trying everything from words, memories and promises to threats, insults and rants, but nothing seemed to be going through, as Dupravel seemed to have forgotten human language.
Every time Antonio tried to hand over a clarity potion, Dupravel smacked it away with a snarl, shrieking incoherently.
Until, in desperation, Antonio grabbed a dog bowl and poured the potion into it, before kneeling and pushing it through the gap into the holding chamber.
*Sniff*
*Sniff*
"Grrrr—"
Dupravel sniffed. Snarled. Then, slowly—shaking like a fevered animal—he crawled over and licked the bowl clean.
Antonio didn't move. Didn't flinch.
Even as his throat tightened and his chest felt hollow. Even as shame and heartbreak swirled in his gut.
He just… waited.
The healers increased their output. Two more bottles followed. And again, Dupravel drank them the same way.
Only after ten doses, and over two hours of distance healing, did the creature that used to be Dupravel begin to… change.
His eyes stopped flickering.
His breathing steadied.
And then—just barely—he spoke.
"I… I was… I was chasing… it… it spoke to me in Noah's voice… it wore my wife's face… but she's been dead… dead for… how long… how long has it been…?"
His voice was frantic, thin, a whisper moving faster than thought.
Each word stacked atop the next in a mess of trauma and jumbled time lines.
"I killed it. Then it laughed. I bled… I bled black for weeks. Then the floor screamed. Then the ceiling turned to eyes. I saw Antonio. But it wasn't you. It wasn't you. It wasn't you."
Antonio felt his heart stop.
Even after feeding him so many mind clarity potions, Dupravel still seemed to be broken.
As even after countless hours of healing, it seemed like they could only restore his tainted mind by so much.
"MORE! GET THIS MAN MORE MIND CLARITY POTIONS…. HEALERS, DOUBLE YOUR OUTPUT, YOUR GUILDMASTER NEEDS YOU!
NOBODY SLOUCH!
WE MUST SAVE HIM TODAY, OR WE MAY NEVER BE ABLE TO SAVE HIM!" Antonio shouted desperately, as he knew exactly what was at stake here.
They needed to rescue Dupravel before the taint of the still-world mana forever corrupted his mind.
The longer it was allowed to fester, the more damage it did, which was why time was of the essence here.
The fact that Dupravel somehow found his way back here meant that he had some semblance of sanity left, however, it desperately needed saving.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 249: Still A LeaderTimeless AssassinC249: Still A Leader
(Black Serpents Guild Headquarters, Recovery Wing, Two days later)
The man sitting in the corner of the reinforced chamber looked like Dupravel Nuna.
He spoke like him.
He gave orders like him.
But Antonio wasn't sure if it really was him anymore.
Dupravel sat slouched on the floor, not the bed. His eyes darted around the room, never once meeting another's gaze. His lips moved even when silent, as though muttering to voices only he could hear.
His left arm—torn open days ago from compulsive scratching—still bled in patches, but he kept clawing at it anyway, as though if he tore away enough skin, he might finally be clean of the taint.
"Dupravel," Antonio said softly, sitting a few feet away on a stool. "Talk to me."
"I am talking," the man replied, his voice thin and uneven. "You're just not listening fast enough."
Antonio didn't correct him.
Instead, he waited as Dupravel reached under a heap of torn robes and pulled out a scroll that was frayed, blood-stained and warped by corrupted mana.
"I mapped it," Dupravel muttered. "I found it."
"What?"
"The castle. Valdara. Center of the world. The Origin Metal is there." His hand shook as he pressed the scroll into Antonio's lap. "You need to go."
Antonio slowly unrolled the parchment.
Within it was a map drawn in uneven strokes.
Some of it looked carefully charted, annotated with arrows and coordinates.
Others were smeared, overwritten, or drawn over with childlike symbols and unexplained spirals.
"And these?" Antonio asked, lifting another set of folded pages, notes, written in Dupravel's unmistakable script.
"They explain everything," Dupravel said, eyes staring into the corner. "Everything. All of it. I wrote it so I wouldn't forget. Did I forget? Did I forget already?"
"You're fine," Antonio said gently. "You did good."
As he flipped to the first page.
---
Points to remember :-
1. Entry point stable. Mana density is increasing as predicted.
2. Avoid dark-rooted trees— they leech your thoughts if you touch them.
3. Do not follow the music. It's not music.
4. I saw Noah. He's still dead. But he tried to speak.
5. The hills near the seventh spire bleed when cut. Avoid.
12. Water is black. Not liquid. Feels like ash. Tastes like despair.
23. Nights last 30 hours. Sleeping during them is a mistake.
35. Saw a mirror version of myself. It looked stronger. I let it walk away.
By note 50, the tone began to shift.
52. The ground whispers when I run. I tried to apologize. It asked for my eyes.
58. I forgot my name today. I think it starts with "D." Or "Dead."
67. I buried my heartbeat in the soil so nothing could find it. I still hear it scream.
79. The sun blinked at me today.
By note 100, comprehension had begun to decay entirely.
101. The numbers aren't in order anymore. But the teeth are.
108. He wears a crown made of my regrets.
117. Don't eat the blue clouds. They remember being people.
125. Laughter keeps following me. It sounds like Antonio.
132. Stop writing. The ink is made of screams.
139. Valdora is not a castle. Valdora is a wound.
147. The door bleeds when I draw near. I think I'm the key.
150. It guards the metal. It likes names. Don't bring yours.
Antonio stared at the final page, the ink sloppier now, almost carved into the parchment.
153. Am I not me? I'm the one that came back!
He slowly set the pages down.
Dupravel hadn't moved.
"Schedule an expedition," Dupravel murmured. "Soon. Send men. No stronger than Grandmasters."
"Why?" Antonio asked quietly. "If it's that dangerous, shouldn't we send our best?"
Dupravel finally turned his head, just slightly, although his eyes remained unfocused.
"The stronger you are… the louder you are," he whispered. "Strength calls strength. Everyone's a beast in there. And beasts don't fight mice."
He scratched his arm again. This time down to the bone.
"A lion may not chase after a mouse running through the forest," he muttered. "But he will never allow another lion to hunt in his territory."
Antonio's throat tightened.
And though the man before him was barely stitched together in mind or soul—
Dupravel Nuna looked like he was still trying to lead the guild, even from the edge of madness.
"Understood Guildmaster, I'll post a notice for the same in the rewards hall, gather willing participants," Antonio said, as Dupravel randomly began beating his chest like an ape.
*Thud*
*THUD*
*THUD!!!*
Each subsequent strike was stronger than before, making Antonio worry that he might break his own rib cage. However, after the third one, he stopped abruptly.
"Offer them anything. Offer them any reward from the treasury if they retrieve the Origin Metal.
Tell them to set the limit as 500 days.
500 days. No more.
No Grandmaster can spend more than 500 days in there without going insane.
And tell them to carry their own mana stones before the expedition begins.
Tell them to stop cycling mana from the surroundings and to only absorb mana from the stones that they carried, as that will help slow down their mental decay." Dupravel adviced, with a broken voice.
"Understood, Guildmaster…." Antonio said, as he stormed out of Dupravel's cabin, suppressing the tear that was welling up in his eye.
He couldn't bear to see Dupravel in such a state.
As whenever he saw his old friend in such a miserable state, he couldn't help but feel boundless hatred for Darnell and his wretched mother, who Dupravel continues to SIMP for even after losing his own sense of self.
"I always knew that bitch Jessica was more rotten than the mana inside a Still World.
It took 11 years for the wretched world to corrupt Dupravel's mind, however, the bitch did more damage in just 3 short years.
The poison she poured into Dupravel's mind—and the cursed spawn she left behind—are the chains that dragged my best friend into madness.
And for that offence, I'll never forgive them." Antonio said, as he made his way to the mission postings centre, to put up the latest and most lucrative mission the guild had ever posted yet.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 250: The InterviewTimeless AssassinC250: The Interview
(Twin Fang Planet – Outer Docks, 10:15 AM)
The shuttle hissed as its doors slid open, revealing the soft-sand landing bay of Twin Fang Planet's central arrival terminal.
*Step*
Leo stepped out without a word, adjusting the straps of the slim duffel over his shoulder as he took in the cityscape ahead.
The city was built like a shrine, with the Black Serpents Guild Headquarters looming at the center like the central jewel on a crown.
A circular structure carved from volcanic stone, laced with silver veining and serpent motifs etched along its outer spires.
Looking from afar, it did not seem like just another building.
But rather it looked like a power statement. A testament to the Black Serpent guild's greatness.
Encircling the central headquarters like loyal vassals were the rest of Twin Fang City buildings: the lodging complexes, taverns, armories, meditation halls, forges, and tactical classrooms—all designed to support the guild and its sprawling army.
The inner rings were reserved for guild members and high-level guests. The outer zones housed auxiliary professions: blacksmiths, potion makers, arena bookies, and civilian-run cafes that sold overpriced noodles to impressionable rookie warriors.
Leo walked with unhurried ease, his eyes scanning everything but lingering nowhere.
He wasn't here to explore.
He was here to embed.
His destination was a smaller building that stood modestly to the side of the main fortress, a five-story tower made of polished metal and glass, with a long line of hopefuls stretched around its base.
The New Recruitments Office.
A place where warriors from across the universe stood in line with dreams in their eyes and desperation in their blood.
Of course, nearly all of them would be rejected.
9999 out of 10,000. That was the statistic.
The Serpents didn't just take in the strong, they took in the elite and useful.
And that definition rarely included common hopefuls.
Leo joined the queue without a word, standing behind a hulking bear-like alien adjusting his armor straps. His presence drew a few glances, with some recognising him and cheerfully approaching for an autograph, however, Leo shot them down with a cold glare, and even roughed a couple of them up that dared come too close.
At exactly 10:45 AM, a small overhead panel blinked blue.
"Leo Skyshard—please proceed to Room 2B." A feminine voice said, as he walked in.
The interviewer looked up from his holographic files and froze.
His eyes widened. His mouth parted slightly. He blinked—once, twice—before blurting out:
"You? You? You're Leo Skyshard? From Rodova?! Their most promising young warrior?! What are you doing here?"
Leo offered a faint smile, not out of politeness, but calculation.
"I am here to serve," he said calmly, placing his provisional degree and battle portfolio on the desk.
"The guild stands at a crossroads. I know about the guilds' situation and how everyone is desperately trying to locate the guildmaster's son, Darnell Nuna, and I wish to be a part of those efforts.
I was there when Darnell was kidnapped and it's only because of him that I'm alive today.
I owe him a debt of honor, and it's for that reason and that reason alone that I have decided to end my student life early and join the Serpents instead, so that I may contribute my bit to making this guild whole again."
The interviewer stared at him, practically trembling.
"That… that's very noble of you. Unbelievable, even. A rising star from the Rodova Academy wanting to wear our emblem?" He gave a nervous laugh. "I—uh—I don't even need to ask you questions. This is a yes. Absolutely. Approved."
He slapped a red 'APPROVED' stamp onto Leo's physical form with a bit too much enthusiasm.
"Normally," the man continued, shuffling papers awkwardly, "a candidate is required to pass psychological evaluations and physical exams before final approval. But in your case... I doubt there's any need. Still, my superiors shall make the final call. Please wait outside— if needed, they'll summon you for additional tests."
Leo nodded and stepped out of the room with the same expression he'd worn walking in, as he remained neutral, poised and unreadable.
---
(Twin Fang City – Recruitment Lobby, 11:15 AM)
He waited.
Five minutes.
Ten.
Fifteen.
No alarm.
No challenge.
No call.
At 11:32 AM, a guild staffer approached him with a sealed packet.
"Leo Skyshard?"
He gave a silent nod.
"Congratulations. These are your guild robes, identity badge, accommodation voucher, and orientation schedule."
She handed him the package and smiled, perhaps the first genuine smile he'd received since landing.
"Your immediate superior is Mr. Raiden. He's requested to meet you for lunch today at 2 PM. He'll walk you through your duties, guild policies, and expectations. Until then, you're free to explore Twin Fang City."
Leo took the packet and gave a quiet nod.
The assassin robe that was a standard issue within the guild was heavier than it looked.
While the badge seemed to be cast from unreactive platinum, so that even after years of use, its shine and luster remained intact.
Internally, Leo felt glad that he was not summoned for any psychological evaluation or physical tests, as although he wasn't afraid of failing any physical test, it was a good feeling to know that his reputation preceded him, and that he wasn't being made to perform the same actions as commoners.
'Well…. It seems like fame does have some uses' Leo thought to himself, as he walked back out into the city.
As with his meeting with Mr.Raiden scheduled at 2 pm, he had nothing but time for the next couple hours, with nothing important to do.
'I'll contact Faye once my meeting with Mr.Raiden is over.
Now that I'm officially a member of the Black Serpents Guild, she should return my missing memories back to me—' Leo thought, as he couldn't help but chuckle at how Faye went to such extreme lengths to shield him from a psychological evaluation test, however, in the end, it turned out he never needed such help in the first place.
Contact - ToS