Chapter 170: With A Bang (1/2)
When he was a little kid, Tyrin had a simple wish. He wanted to be the main character in life, just like the ones he read about in novels. Handsome men that would flatten mountains and face-slap villains.
As his life went on, he started to lose faith a bit by bit. His body wasn't as strong. His ability was lackluster. His talent was barely existent. That's when he decided to turn to runes, but even that had little success. However, he was still handsome, so he had a chance.
As if there was a certain way that people did things that he didn't know about, everything he did end in failure. A failure after a failure after a failure.
”You're a failure.” His father once told him as he studied a piece of artifact. ”You see this shard? I bought it from an agency that digs through dungeons. A young man had found this shard. Even a lowly peasant is more useful than you are. Make yourself useful, Tyrin.”
”Yes, father.”
He was trying, but there was always a limit. There was always a place he would stop at. He signed up for the runes' apprentices cup hoping things would change.
One day, he met his childhood friend in a dungeon. It was then that he met the man that has ruined his life. He saw the man wield an otherworldly dagger that was unbefitting of a side-character. That's why he sent his followers to steal the dagger.
Even that failed. He was an embodiment of failure. Nonetheless, he was unafraid. What could a peasant, a poor commoner, do? He went to the capital with his father to attend a royal evening party.
That's when he met Alfred. One thing led to another, and he was shown a way to break past his limits. The limits that have haunted him for years were now broken. He was stronger, smarter, and he was confident. He was finally the main character.
However, there was a price he'd have to pay. The price, in front of his dream, wasn't a lot. His loyalty, that's it. He was to activate an artifact in the second round of the runes apprentice cup.
He was obstructed once again. Later, he'd link the dots together and realize it was also the peasant that he had tried to rob that eavesdropped on their conversation.
Then, he became the prey. In the runes' apprentices cup, he wasn't even holding the artifact anymore, but the man kept following after him like an evil spirit. In the end, he confessed half a truth and the man let him go from there.
He heard about what happened later when he escaped to the Iliosian empire. The man tried to stop Alfred but failed. He laughed heartily then until he heard that the fortress was stopped and stolen.
His dreams fell like dominos. He had to hide in the empire until he got to meet the Sun's Emperor himself in the imperial palace. He was given a chance for revenge, and he had taken it.
Now, however, he realized that he had failed again. He was promised more power if he kills this man, and he happily agreed.
His consciousness faded as the Ender swallowed him whole. They said rebirth was possible if he allowed his soul to be eaten by the Ender, a new rebirth with a stronger body. He looked at the dome cracking as runes engulfed the world.
With a snap of his fingers, the dome broke apart. Furthermore, smoke blinded everyone's vision as it rushed from the man's body. He pulled a potion and drank it before muttering a single word.
”Manifest,” The man stood in front of him, staring at him behind a mask. His golden eyes looking at him with the same disgust.
'I'm the main character. Don't look at me like that.' Tyrin protested in his heart, but he could already feel the Ender's fear. These creatures were fear themselves, so it was bad news when they felt fear.
”Ancient Armor!” The words came down like thunder as the giant pillars of light penetrated the black dome and gathered on the man's body. An armor manifested from thin air as it hugged the man's body. It was made of golden scales that ran over the man's body and covered all of it.
”Come here, lowly being.” Arthur Silvera pointed with his hand at him. Rage boiled inside of the Ender's and Tyrin's heart and they allowed it to take control.
***
Arthur's plan was simple. He had bought a protective rune called ancient armor that would manifest an armor around his body. This was the most sure-fire way to protect himself.
However, this wasn't all. Since it was, like Nera's weapon, a manifestation rune, it grew stronger the more inscribed runes were used.
The cost also grew tremendously with it. Arthur bought two more things with his remaining points from the legacy. A smoke artifact and a mana-replenishing potion.
The runic cards that he spent all of last night inscribing were handed to Miko that had hidden them in the coliseum. As for Reece, Arthur asked him for a different thing.
Tyrin in his Ender form howled with rage as he threw himself at Arthur. The Ender's threatening scythe-like hands bounced off his armor.
”You should've learned the first time that…” Arthur disappeared and appeared in front of the Ender. ”You guys are nothing but prey in front of me.”
Release Rune was activated as Arthur used his Art to move mana. Space twisted as the mana sank into the air around his fist. Arthur punched the Ender in the stomach and sent it flying, slamming it at the black dome's interior.
”Hoo…” Arthur let go of a breath as a group of people appeared beside him. He looked at them with a grin behind his mask as he felt relieved. ”Glad you guys didn't miss the party.”
”You're a lot more troublesome than we thought. I'll need an artifact like this one to make up for my losses, Dumb Newbie.” Ivy walked over and tapped his armor and whistled.
”It's not an artifact, but a manifestation.” Arthur smiled at the shocked expression of his group. Ivy, Hua, Zas, and Li were all here. ”Where's Reece?”
At first, Arthur thought that Reece's ability was shapeshifting. However, that didn't explain why Reece didn't just change back to his original appearance when he was with Arthur. After joining Mistletoe and working together with his beloved senior, he finally got to know his ability.