Chapter 171: Aftermath Of War (2)

Adrian’s conversation with Serena lasted longer than he had anticipated, as he found himself listening to some tales from her too.

By the time he ended the call, Adrian’s achievements finally settled in on him. He had done it. He had killed the King and, in doing so, had taken the first step toward building a new, more just kingdom. The weight of his self imposed title title settled on his shoulders. He felt the gravity of it, but also a sense of purpose he hadn’t known before.

After returning to the room, Adrian found it blessedly empty. Princess Nyra was gone. He locked the door and sank into the soft bed, the exhaustion he had been holding at bay finally overwhelming him.

The healing pills had helped, but the physical and mental strain of his battle with the King was still taking its toll.

His muscles screamed in protest and his dantian, throbbed with a persistent ache. Still, he knew it was worth it. The war was over. Lives had been saved.

Adrian lay there, his mind replaying the events of the battle. He focused on the deciding moment, when he had used the raw mana shot.

The idea had come to him before while he was trying to figure out how to keep the Mana Gun relevant. Although he was experimenting with magic crystal synthesis, he wasn’t yet able to create anything powerful enough to truly threaten beigns as strong as him.

That’s when he had a shocking realization. His marked inventions were an extension of himself. It seemed obvious, but the implications were profound.

As a Knight, his path was to channel mana through his body. But if his inventions were an extension of his body, then he could channel mana through them as well.

He had spent countless hours in the Factory, meticulously reconfiguring the Mana Gun.

The design was already an extension of his consciousness All he had to do was create a direct link.

His first attempts to reconfigure the mana gun were failures. He tried to force the connection, but it simply wouldn’t work.



But Adrian later came to realize that the issue laid in the gun’s Autonomy Rating. He had to increase it.

This required several painstaking attempts, but he managed to do it. Creating one of the C grade.

The technique Adrian had developed for the gun allowed him to bypass the need for magic crystals entirely, shooting a pure, unrefined burst of mana directly from his dantian, through the Mana Gun, and out into the world.

Asides the Autonomy requirement, It required an immense amount of concentration and willpower to connect the threads of mana between his body and the gun, but the results were undeniable.

The power of the shots he released was directly proportional to how much mana he was willing to pour from his dantian.

Unlike the magic crystals, which needed to be reloaded, the Mana Gun could fire as long as he had mana to spare.

The only downside was the agonizing pain in his dantian. To truly destroy the King, he had to push himself to the absolute limit, pouring out a massive amount of his permanent mana pool.

The cost was a dantian that felt like it had been shredded and stitched back together, an ache that permeated his very being.

But Adrian knew some rest would do him good. He closed his eyes, welcoming the darkness that promised a brief respite from his burdens.

***

Morning came, but Adrian didn’t get up. He let himself linger in the comfort of the bed, savoring the rare chance to simply do nothing.

He was well aware that morning had long since arrived, but he just wanted to continue sleeping. It wasn’t often he had the luxury of sleeping, and he was going to take full advantage of it.

The soft bed, the quiet room, it was a slice of peace he hadn’t experienced in a long time.

He was just beginning to drift back into a deeper slumber when a soft knock sounded on the door.

Adrian’s sharp senses picked it up immediately. He sighed, a small smile playing on his lips as he stretched and sat up.

"Thank goodness they decided to wake me," he muttered to himself, feeling a sense of gratitude for the interruption.

He glanced at his System panel.

[11:04 AM].

He had been close to wasting the entire day. The thought of getting back to work, to the new challenges that awaited him, filled him with a renewed sense of energy.

He got out of bed, still wearing his comfortable sleeping clothes, and walked to the door. He wasn’t surprised when he saw Princess Nyra standing there, her green eyes sparkling with an almost mischievous light.

"I hope you slept well," she said with a small polite smile on her face. "I just came to inform you that your people are here. They’re waiting for you so they can return."

Adrian nodded. It was time to go home, to face his new reality. "Thank you for informing me."

Nyra waved a dismissive hand. "It’s nothing. I’ll leave you now to get ready."

Adrian was slightly impressed. The princess, who had been so stubborn just the night before, was being understanding now.

He watched her walk away, before he closed the door and began to get ready. He quickly changed into a simple, casual tunic and trousers from the Factory, ignoring the clothes that were left for him.



When Adrian stepped outside, the clearing was buzzing with activity.

A fleet of Trailblazers were parked in a neat row far ahead. He saw that every single human soldier, from the slightly wounded to the fully recovered, was already boarded, patiently waiting for him.

Charles was leading the fleet and had clearly followed his instructions perfectly.

He spotted Charles speaking animatedly with Loryn and a few other High Elves. With his easygoing and talkative nature, he had clearly won them over.

They were laughing and gesturing, looking more like old friends than people who had been on opposite sides of a bloody war. When Adrian approached, Loryn was the first to notice him.

"Ah, you’re awake," Loryn said in a warm voice. "Your men arrived a while ago, and I must say, these metal boxes are truly incredible."

Charles cleared his throat from the side, a hint of playful correction in his voice. "Trailblazers."

Loryn’s eyes twinkled. "Ah, yes. Trailblazers. Charles told me you made them yourself. Is that true?"

Adrian walked forward with a faint smile on his face.

"Yes, I did. But let’s not discuss that now. I’m grateful for your hospitality," he began. "Thank you for giving us a place to stay. I would have loved to stay a moment longer and witness the culture of your people, but that would have to be for later. We have to start going now."

Loryn nodded in understanding. "That’s perfectly alright. We’re still grateful for your help, and although we would love to discuss a serious matter with you, we don’t mind waiting." He paused for a moment, then decided to ask, "So, what day would you be making your return?"

Adrian furrowed his brow in thought. There was a lot to do in Zarion, a new kingdom to build from the ground up, but he couldn’t wait too long. An alliance with the High Elves was a top priority.

"Let’s say a week," he decided. "I’ll visit in a week’s time."

The High Elves all nodded in response, a chorus of agreement passing through the quad. Loryn’s smile returned. "We will be expecting you then. May the goddess guide your journey to your home."

Adrian was about to turn and join his men when he remembered something. With a thought, he materialized three sleek devices from his Inventory.

He held them out, a small gift for the elves. "I can’t leave without giving you something. You can use these to talk to someone across a distance. Just press this button here," he said, pointing to a small, glowing button on the center of the device, "and you can speak to whoever is holding the connected device. You can use it to communicate with me, even when I return to Zarion. Here," he added, handing the second and third one to Loryn, "an extra set for your personal use."

The High Elves marveled over the devices, their fingers tracing the smooth, metallic surface.

Loryn, curious, pressed the button and spoke into it. In response, a second Communicator beeped within Adrian’s Inventory.

He materialized it and spoke into it, his voice echoing from the device in Loryn’s hand.

The elves were startled at first, but they quickly regained their composure and thanked Adrian for the incredible gift.

"I’m sorry we didn’t prepare a gift for you," Loryn said with a hint of genuine regret in his voice. "Perhaps when you return..."

Adrian shook his head. "You don’t have to. Allowing us to stay is a gift in itself."

Loryn insisted stubbornly. "No, we have to give you something."

"Well, alright then," Adrian relented with a small laugh. "Suit yourself."

He was still talking when Princess Nyra appeared, her voice cutting through the air. "Me!"



Everyone looked at her in surprise as she rushed over from nowhere. Her composure shifted instantly as realization dawnwd on her. "I mean... I don’t mind being gifted to them."

Loryn looked at his daughter in disbelief, his jaw almost dropping. But he quickly recovered.

"Forgive her," he said to Adrian. "She doesn’t know what she’s saying."

Nyra immediately objected, crossing her arms stubbornly. "I know what I’m saying! I want to follow them, is that so hard to ask for?"

Loryn tried to explain. "But... you can’t. You’ll only be a burden to them, and we can’t let you leave like that."

Nyra’s gaze met Adrian’s, her green eyes filled with a raw, earnest pleading. "Do you think I’m a burden?"

Adrian didn’t want to get in the middle of a family dispute. He shook his head. "No, you’re not. But listen to your people. They have their reasons for not sending you off."

Nyra was at a loss for words. She looked back at Loryn, who met her gaze with an unyielding expression.

Finally, she sighed in defeat. "Okay. I won’t follow you this time. But I definitely will when you return."

Adrian chuckled softly. "Well, sort things out with your people first, and then we’ll see."

He looked at the fleet of Trailblazers. All of his people were waiting patiently. He gave a final wave to the elves. "I should get going."

Adrian and Charles both got into a Trailblazer, and with a low hum, the fleet took off, the elves waving goodbye to them as they disappeared into the horizon.