Chapter 228
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 228
Chapter Title: Melissa's Breakthrough
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Yeah. That's the correct answer. Textbook, and the safest option.
The word "textbook" might sound boringly predictable at first glance.
But it was also a method proven time and again.
When in doubt, stick to the basics. When unsure, follow the standard procedure.
At the very least, I don't deny that principle itself.
So.
If I make it impossible for you to follow that textbook approach, how will you control your aura then?
I snatch Melissa's arm as she tries to pull away, yanking her toward me like a whip.
Her eyes widen in an instant as she's dragged in close.
Your reaction's too slow here? I swear I've drilled this into you multiple times.
If you've made a mistake, you take the punishment.
I don't hesitate, clenching my fist and raising it high.
"Melissa. Grit your teeth."
BAM!!!
My tightly gripped fist slams into her cheek.
"Y-Young Master?!"
"Oh my god!"
The two siblings, unaware of how mercilessly I'd trained Melissa all this time, jump to their feet in shock.
But Melissa herself quickly gathers her aura even as she's sent flying.
Despite me twisting the flow of aura in her meridians with that single blow, she recovers in a flash.
Hmm, that's a passing grade.
"Still too slow."
"How much faster do you expect me to be at a time like this?!"
"In a real fight, you'd already be dead."
"Damn it!"
Outraged, Melissa's sword glows with double-layered aura.
If she hadn't learned the Divine Arts of the Heavenly Demon to begin with, she never would have made it this far.
A few of her own attacks would have worn her out, and my occasional counterthrusts would have neutralized her in seconds.
In this short time, I even felt a swell of pride at her growth.
So, I should match her pace accordingly.
What remarkable progress. I don't hide my admiration as I widen my stance, diving in much deeper than her predicted attack path.
And then. I spring one of my favorite tricks on her unexpectedly.
"Let there be light."
"You... you bastard..."
FWOOOSH!!!
A massive flash erupts from the flare artifact I toss, stunning her.
Her staggering aura loses its flow in an instant.
Fail.
I wrap my arm around her neck like a wrestling hold, leap, and slam her back-first into the ground.
KABOOOM!!
The training ground's floor shatters as she coughs out in agony.
Her body is a battered mess as she slowly rises.
But Luna, crouched beside the fallen Melissa, erases every wound.
Of course, if Luna's here, that means Arsha is too.
Under her youngest sister's worried gaze, Melissa forces a smile to reassure her.
"Ugh... Thanks, but... is it really okay to heal me like this without even giving me a break?"
"Sparring's over."
Luna takes her hand and helps her up.
"You're ready now."
"You mean eat it right here?"
"Leon's opened your meridians evenly. It's the most efficient time."
Melissa glances at me with mild surprise.
"You were doing that during the spar?"
"Just sit."
I dump a pile of elixirs I'd been saving from my subspace.
There are some impressive ones like the spirit herbs from the elf forest, but plenty of basic lower-grade elixirs too, easy to obtain.
"Why... dump them all out?"
"Why? So you can eat them all."
"No way... Who the hell eats dozens of elixirs at once!?"
"You do."
Don't worry. Normal elixirs only let you absorb about 30 percent, but I'll make sure you get 100 percent.
Most of these are easy to acquire anyway.
Money's no object. Even with the expense, it's fine.
As Melissa sits at the center of the training ground, eyes closed, focusing on her aura circulation, Cheonryeong asks me.
"Young Master. Isn't consuming multiple elixirs at once extremely dangerous?"
"It is. Normally, no one eats them that sloppily."
It's risky, and absorption drops sharply, killing efficiency.
"Then why..."
"If you keep absorption near 100 percent and balance it to avoid issues, it becomes the most efficient method instead."
"Big Brother... what is Sister doing?"
"Your sister is eating medicine to get even stronger."
"Wow..."
Arsha's eyes sparkle.
"Sister... you can do it!"
Melissa's tense expression softens a bit at Arsha's cheer.
"Let's begin."
Finally, Melissa dumps all the prepared elixirs into her mouth at once.
"Mmph!!!"
Suddenly, an unimaginable surge of aura erupts from her entire body.
"Don't try to contain it all. I'll push back whatever leaks out. Just absorb what you can control for now."
Melissa breaks into a cold sweat but starts slowly, mastering her limit first.
Gale-force winds whip around from the massive aura currents, but the mana barrier around the training ground keeps the outside silent.
Even controlling just a portion, the sheer volume overflowing stresses her body excessively.
But physical damage is no issue for Luna.
Her recovery outpaces the harm, strengthening her meridians and flesh further.
Boosted by the Return Bead's immense affinity, Melissa adapts swiftly to the colossal aura flow.
Her current realm: mid-tier Sword Expert.
But judging by the aura gathering around her now, it's already past high-tier—top-tier territory.
Proof of the elixirs' potency.
I think of the millennium fruit I haven't consumed yet.
It looks like an elixir at a glance, but unknowns remain, so I'm holding off.
Precious as it is, I must use it wisely.
"Ngh..."
As I refine the overflowing energies into pure aura and cycle them back into her gradually, a faint groan of pain escapes Melissa.
Melissa's absorption lasted about 30 minutes.
Long if you think about it, yet incredibly short.
"Truly astonishing... To refine the elixirs' energies like that, capturing every bit without waste. An impossible feat made real."
Cheonryeong, sensing something from our actions, sits and begins regulating his own energy.
As if enlightened.
Not enough for a realm breakthrough, but a solid gain for him.
"Hoo..."
Fully absorbed, Melissa opens her weary eyes.
Her calm pupils give the illusion of vast aura flows swirling within.
As the raging auras around her settle, she rises silently.
Luna leaves the training ground, and I pick up a wooden sword.
"Come at me, you triceratops bitch."
She doesn't reply, just ignites her sword with aura.
But its form, density, and precision are incomparable to before.
Her heightened affinity from the elixirs boosts total capacity, letting her perform feats effortlessly that she couldn't normally.
She unleashes a frenzy like she's in a trance.
Speed and power beyond compare. Precision and sharpness too.
It's like unveiling software honed through effort on fitting new hardware.
At minimum, high-tier Sword Expert level. Maybe more.
Even at mid-tier, she was strong enough to crush superiors, so this power is palpably fierce.
Of course, she's still no Sword Master.
And from over-absorbing elixirs, she soon loses consciousness and collapses.
If she'd held the trance a bit longer, she'd have tested top-tier walls.
"Too much for top-tier?"
No. High-tier alone is miraculous.
The elixirs' effects will deepen gradually. Once fully integrated, top-tier is within reach.
In other words...
Melissa, barely past mid-teens, becomes a once-in-continental-history genius nearing Sword Master.
Funny thing is, how many deaths did it take me to reach that realm?
Even if she's my sister, envy creeps in inevitably.
"Leon, jealous?"
"No."
"You look jealous."
"Well, not wrong."
To outsiders, it might seem monstrous, but with that talent, my Labyrinthos time would have shrunk drastically.
"Hmm..."
Pondering something, Luna picks up Arsha beside her.
"Arsha. Leon is amazing."
"Y-Yes! Sister too! Big Brother is amazing!"
Arsha nods eagerly, eyes shining, drawing a laugh from me.
Luna's looking out for me in her own way.
She knows Arsha has me wrapped around her finger.
"Wanna go get ice cream?"
"B-Banana ice cream!"
"Yeah. Big Brother made some. Let's eat."
"Okay!"
I tuck the unconscious Melissa into bed first.
Even in sleep, fierce aura hones her. She'll wake stronger.
Meanwhile, Luna checks on Isna, and I sit Arsha on my lap, feeding her ice cream.
After much giggling, our chattering little sister dozes off in my arms as dusk falls.
I lay her on the bed in one corner of Melissa's office and sort the territory's documents.
Things Melissa handled so far.
A rapidly growing territory brings endless tasks.
Fortunately, Cascadia's border location means no sudden population boom issues.
"Tuition's no problem. Just some minor supplies?"
Melissa can use the old dorms. No special prep needed.
Then, one document catches my eye.
-Practical Exam Participation Confirmation.
"Exam? Why take this with the freshmen?"