Chapter 259 (1/2)

Chapter 259

Chapter 259: Mother Lode

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When Sylvie’s stone had absorbed the aether from me, it had taken every last drop from my core However, only a fraction of that aether had been absorbed, spiralling down a designated path inside The rest seemed to be almost filtered out while the remainder that was able to reach Sylvie, as co

That’s when I realized that Sylvie’s stone wasn’t so e like I had first assumed No, it was more like a strainer that I needed to fill with aether faster than it could spill back out

The fact that Sylvie’s stone wasn’t able to ‘receive’ ive it even after I had consumed the fruit meant that my aether core was flawed Not ‘flawed’ per se, but just like how mana cores started out with natural ie ofa similar phenomenon

I kne that the aether core that I had forged was currently filled with i the capacity that could be stored within and keepingthe full capabilities of aether Great

If I wanted to be able to make aether flow the way it did inside Sylvie’s stone, I needed the aether inSylvie back, I needed to be able to unleash that purer aether in a er volu

Which broughthere now, a few feet away fro but a flimsy leather vest and shredded cloth pants

“It’s not too late to back out,” Regis whispered into my ear

I knehat itre out of here wasn’t actually my top priority—afterall, even if I was able to ht at this ainst Nico and the scythe, Cadell

My priority was getting stronger, which—thankfully—aligned with getting back Sylvie as well And killing thistoward that

Meeting Regis’ gaze, I replied to hio inside”

As we traversed deeper inside the giant hole the width of the ely brighter There was a faint purple sheen that clung to the ground, walls and ceiling of the winding tunnel

Regis scouted ahead, flying back tochanges

As I was taking a sip fro back out of the corner of round, hoping to hear sois

‘Arthur There’s so into my chest

If youto hit you, I replied with suspicion

‘Just go,’back out to lead the way

The tunnel split into two paths but Regis quickly directed htly wider one on the left side Not only was it wider in diahter It only took a few is wanted round were clusters of crystals…aether crystals

My brows furrowed in confusion at the sight of the glowing purple crystals, littered in front of us like trash Quickly—and quietly—I picked up a fist-sized crystal and consulow subsided

These aren’t as potent as the fruit I had earlier, but these are still fairly concentrated, I notedone more fist-sized crystal to top my aether capacity to the brim, I stored a couple s forward I would coht was over

As we continued deeper into the hter until a brilliant purple light shone at the very end

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Regis and I exchanged a tense glance before walking forward My heart pounded againstagainst the giant beast Being this close to the aether beast in its own hoiantbreaths and steadying hest opponent yet

Let’s do this

I stepped into the blinding purple light, my body tense and alert for any sudden lare subsided I saw that the tunnel opened into aThe entire expanse was bathed in a sea of purple e crystals piled upon one another

But despite the scores of aether crystals—soer than iant millipede

Instinctually, I stepped back and raised is cowered behind ure of the aether beast

It was hunched over in a tall arch while its entire body convulsed Then, just as I was beginning to think it was about to explode, a waterfall of aether crystals gushed out the back end of the side the other ht out of a fairytale Except, instead of a giant dragon guarding itsits h that echoed throughout the giant cavern, drawing iant hts of stealth at the sight of the charging is flew to the left

“I’’s crap!” Regis guffawed

I rolledthe attention of the ave me ti aether froth that for several feet in an instant, I smashed my aether-clad fist into the‘thud’

However, while the ed up iven to it wasn’tdeftly back on the ground, I crossed the span of the cavern in a sprint as the ot close, I held up a hand straight over is and I devised to confuse the sound-sensitive aether beast

Iis screa!”

The millipede slid to a stop and whirled around toward the source of the voice Meanwhile, I continued to exhaustmy body in a thick layer of aether in the hopes that there’d be a different outcos blurred as I approached theto catch Regis I ais were attached to its body, and this ti

The giant leg snapped off and fell on the ground while a gel-like fluid tinted in purple gushed out from the injury The aether beast let out a shrill cry while turning its attention back to is let out another cry to get its attention The is again, giving me some time to absorb more aether from the crystals abundantly scattered all around us

“How does that crap taste, Arthur?” Regis teased as he zigzagged in the air away froain, sticking up a specific finger This one wasn’t a signal

The gears in my brain spun as I refilledabout With the development in my aether core, I was technically able to use Gauntlet Forthen hih to withstand the burden of three uses

This e decided to test the beast’s defenses without having to resort to using Gauntlet Form

I continued to try and search for weaknesses while Regis frantically avoided the ed to break off two s and struck at the open wound where the legs attached to its body, it didn’t seee

If anything, I seerier