Unholy Player-Chapter 162: To gain knowledge
Chapter 162: To gain knowledge
While Adyr was still weighing the potential benefits of this conflict, Liora finally spoke. "This isn’t something we can decide right now. Let us think it over and give you our answer tomorrow."
She had no desire to provoke Sevrak or the Umbraen practitioners, but she also couldn’t accept the offer outright. This wasn’t a decision she could make alone. It directly involved Adyr.
He might be considered a Velari, but he came from a remote region of the kingdom. More importantly, he was newly advanced, inexperienced. Sending someone like him into a tournament like this was reckless.
"Fine," Sevrak said, rising slowly from his seat. "Then I’ll return tomorrow. Colossith’s staying here for a while anyway, so I’ll deal with it when I come for your answer."
With those words, he mounted his dragon. A deep roar and a powerful beat of its wings stirred the dust and air around them. The creature ascended into the sky, leaving behind dark clouds and flashes of lightning in its wake, almost like a visual signature of its power.
"He forgot his furniture set," Mirela said, glancing down at the rug and chairs. "Mind if I take it? Looks kinda stylish."
Liora ignored her completely. Her attention was on Adyr now. She gave him an apologetic look. "I’m sorry for all this. If you want to stay out of it, just say the word. I’d understand completely."
Malrik and the others also turned their gazes to him. None of them looked like they were pressuring him—they all knew exactly what agreeing to such a tournament would mean.
Adyr paused for a moment, as if thinking. Then he smiled softly. "I can’t refuse if it means preventing a war where so many lives would be at risk."
Their expressions eased slightly. It was the kind of answer they expected from an Astra Path practitioner. No matter the status, every life was supposed to matter.
Adyr saw their reactions and sighed. "But... I’m afraid I might embarrass myself. I don’t think I have enough combat experience—or strength."
Liora stood from her seat and walked over, resting a hand on his shoulder. Even while seated, he was nearly eye-level with her.
"Don’t worry about that," she said firmly. "Even if we accept the tournament, it won’t start for at least a week. That gives us time to prepare you properly."
Her words—and her eyes—were resolute. If Adyr was willing to risk his life for them, they wouldn’t just stand by and watch.
Which was exactly what Adyr had counted on.
Exploit their goodwill. After all, it was Adyr who played the part of the noble one, and no one realized it was all an act.
Once he got what he needed from them, nothing was stopping him from disappearing before the tournament even began. After all, there was nothing in this kingdom binding him here.
"I’ll do my best," Adyr said sincerely. Of course, he didn’t specify what exactly he would be doing his best at.
"Good. With your talent, I doubt beating a few Nether guys will be that hard. I want to see Sevrak’s face after the tournament," Malrik said with a loud laugh.
"Talent alone won’t get you far. You also need knowledge to use it properly," Lucen added, always the rational one in the group. He turned to Adyr.
"I won’t ask which Sparks you’ve evolved or what you currently possess, but I need to be sure—do you have a solid build in mind for your advancement? Have you tailored a skill set that matches your strengths and suits your style? Defense, mobility, raw power? From what I’ve seen, you’re more of a tactician. I’d suggest a balanced build—one that adapts quickly to any threat or environment."
Adyr appreciated Lucen’s insight. He had been considering the same path. A balanced build was exactly what he needed.
He preferred to work alone—and likely always would. That meant he couldn’t rely on a group where everyone filled a specific role. He needed to heal his own wounds, defend himself when attacked, and escape if needed, with skills that allowed for swift disengagement.
It was a more difficult path. Unlike specialized practitioners, he wouldn’t excel in a single area, which could put him a step behind in certain scenarios. But Adyr had always survived alone. He would make up for the gap with faster evolution and underhanded tactics when necessary.
Having access to all four Paths also made a balanced build a more viable option, and that reinforced his decision.
"Yes," Adyr said. "I’m planning to go for a more balanced approach."
"Good," Lucen replied with a nod. "That’s also the smartest route when facing Nether Path practitioners. Their innate resilience makes them tough opponents. To counter that, you need a wider variety of attack types and strategies."
Even though the Astra Path is tied to the [Physique] stat, that didn’t prevent someone from using it as a means to other ends. With specific Sparks, they could still build a skill set focused not only on raw power but also on defense, speed, or even support.
They all stayed up through the night, sharing everything Adyr needed to know about Sparks and practitioners—crucial details, common pitfalls during evolutions, and things most people only learned the hard way. These weren’t just surface-level tips; they spoke with the kind of insight gained through years of experience, the kind they rarely shared with anyone outside their circle.
At one point, Liora reached into her [Sanctuary] and handed Adyr a book that immediately caught his attention.
It was a Spark encyclopedia, a comprehensive compilation of Sparks from every known Path—some she had seen firsthand, others she had only heard of or documented through other practitioners’ experiences. The level of detail in it made it clear this was the kind of personal treasure a Rank 4 practitioner would guard carefully. And yet she offered it to him as if it were just a simple gesture.
That alone told Adyr just how seriously they were taking him.
The book contained descriptions of tens of thousands—perhaps even hundreds of thousands—of Sparks. Even for someone like Adyr, who could read and process information quickly, it wasn’t something he could finish in a short time.
The most intriguing part was that, as he flipped through the pages, despite the vast amount of information, the book somehow felt incredibly thin. No matter how many pages he turned, it still seemed like he was barely at the beginning. He couldn’t hide his surprise when Liora teasingly told him that the book itself was a Spark.
The system hadn’t flagged it with a [Spark Detected] notification because it was a subdued Spark—at first glance, it looked like an ordinary book. This realization broadened Adyr’s horizon even further.
With it, he now had a solid foundation. As he advanced to Rank 2, his chances of avoiding fatal mistakes had drastically improved. By studying the Spark types, he could chart out a long-term evolution strategy and choose his future upgrades with clarity and purpose.
There were countless types of Sparks, countless skills a practitioner could acquire, and endless synergies that could be created with those skills.
As the conversation deepened, Mirela even pulled out a tea set and brewed some tea for the group. They continued talking as if they were just a circle of friends casually sharing stories from their everyday lives.
Adyr sipped the tea, tasting a flavor unlike anything he’d ever experienced—delicate, lingering, and impossible to describe. As he listened carefully to every word, he realized it had been a long time since he’d enjoyed a conversation this much.
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