Malakai had to plan how he was going to spend the next two months in the clan.
Now that his protection was assured, he wanted to focus his entire being on training, preparing for the Hunt.
‘When I start the clan’s training, it’ll probably take most of my time, but its benefits are worth it.’
Malakai hadn’t experienced how the clan trained evolved members before, but judging from what he went through before failing to evolve, he was certain it would be worth every second.
‘Plus the resources.’
This had been one of the main reasons he wanted to join in the first place. The resources provided by the clan would be incredibly beneficial to his growth.
‘I’ll make my plan once I see what it’s all about tomorrow. But for now…’
He would begin training tomorrow, as per the Sovereign’s orders. So for now, he resigned himself to making a decision then and planning around it.
But before that, he wanted to check his current standing.
‘Manifest.’
A panel of light ignited to life in front of him, displaying his stats.
[Vita Core Interface]
Name: Malakai Von Sanguine
Lineage: Direct Descendant of the Sanguine Clan
Title(s): [Successor of Life] [Ruined Heir] [Worthless Trash]
Talent Grade: ???
Vita Stored: 4535 / 4,500 → 4,535 Units
Vita Absorption Rate: 2.0 V/s (High Density) | 1.5 V/s (Normal Zone)
Evolution Stage: Genesis (Awaiting formation of first node)
Base Attributes:
• Strength: 170 [90 – 125]
• Dexterity: 180 [100 – 135]
• Vitality: 235 → 239 [125 – 150]
• Perception: 182 [110 – 140]
• Willpower: 120 → 122 [50 – 76]
• Control: 110 [0 – 5]
[Node Map]
• Blood Node: Active [1% refined]
• Muscle Node: Sealed
• Nerve Node: Sealed
• Bone Node: Sealed
• Breath Node: Sealed
• Digestion Node: Sealed
• Synaptic Node: Sealed
• Cellular Node: Sealed
• Endocrine Node: Sealed
• Immune Node: Sealed
• Sensory Node: Sealed
• Body Node: Sealed (Opens when all primary nodes are awakened and refined at 100%)
Malakai gazed at his stats with a calm look.
Valentine, who had stopped talking after realizing Malakai wasn’t listening, floated behind him.
“Damn… you didn’t even train and something still improved.”
Malakai’s gaze stopped briefly on his Vitality and Will stats. They had both somehow increased, even though he hadn’t actively trained them.
‘It must be because of those instances.’
Malakai had barely survived his encounter with the Maugrim, and he had also withstood the Sovereign’s aura.
In both cases, he had pushed his body to its absolute limits. His Vitality covered his endurance, stamina, and more—it was no wonder it had improved. As for Will… with everything he had gone through until now, it was expected.
Malakai soon took his gaze away and settled it on his Vita capacity.
‘It also increased.’
Every evolver had the ability to passively attract and absorb Vita from the air.
Ever since he evolved, Malakai had been doing exactly that. But he’d been wanting to figure out exactly how much the Vita he passively absorbed affected him.
In the span of two days, his total Vita capacity had increased by 35 units. It wasn’t a lot, considering his absorption rate was 2 v/s in high-density areas, which, in a sense, meant that the Vita in his body should have increased by about 14,400 in two days. But clearly, it didn’t work that way.
The only time the 2 v/s came into play was when he used from his Vita reserve and needed to refill.
’35 in two days… that’s about a ten-thousandth of the normal…’
In simple terms, it meant that passively, his total Vita reserve was increasing at about 0.0002 v/s.
It was a rough estimate, but Malakai believed it was accurate. A question soon popped into his head, and he turned to Valentine.
‘Hey, did you form any nodes in your body during your time?’
Valentine paused for a moment before he responded, “Ah, yes.”
Malakai nodded, “How much faster was it when you were actively training compared to passively?”
Valentine thought for a moment, “Hmm… I remember getting stronger faster when I was consciously training it.”
Malakai nodded again and turned away.
‘Just as I thought.’
What Malakai had just confirmed was simple. Although his total Vita reserve improved at 0.0002 per second passively, that number would change drastically when he actively absorbed Vita from the air and guided it to improve his body.
Malakai decided to test his assumption. He sat cross-legged on his bed and closed his eyes.
At first, he didn’t try to absorb anything. He let his body do its work, passively pulling in Vita. He simply observed.
After noting the rate, he switched. He focused. He felt the Vita in the air, and he drew it in.
After a few seconds, Malakai opened his eyes with a satisfied expression.
His assumption had been correct.
The latter was mindless and would randomly improve his body slowly, while the latter was intentional, and he would be able to direct the Vita to its required location.
With that, Malakai was content with his findings. He didn’t try to absorb any more Vita. After everything he’d been through over the past few days, even he knew he needed rest. His body still felt rejuvenated, but his mind was another story. It needed a break.
He headed to the bathroom to freshen up, removing his oversized jacket and swapping it for something more comfortable.
Valentine, of course, made a fuss the moment Malakai took off his clothes, swearing multiple times that he wasn’t a pedophile.
Malakai ignored him.
Once he was done, he returned to his room, slipped into bed, and a second later, Valentine’s voice cut in.
“You’re sleeping with… that?”
Malakai sent a glance toward the large scythe resting against his arm beneath the sheets.
‘What’s wrong with it?’ he asked.
“You’re asking me that?” Valentine replied, exasperated. “Who sleeps with a scythe!?”
‘I’m just being safe,’ Malakai said calmly. ‘I need to be ready to fight at any time.’
“That’s what you have your maid for, right?” Valentine shot back. “So you don’t have to do weird things like this.”
Malakai didn’t respond.
Valentine groaned. “You’re still going to sleep with it no matter what I say, huh.”
‘Yes.’
Valentine sighed heavily. “Talk about being paranoid.”
Malakai ignored him. His grip on the scythe didn’t loosen for a second.
He still didn’t trust Nyx, not completely, at least. And this was the only way he could feel safe enough to sleep.
He stared up at the ceiling in silence for several minutes, his mind slowly drifting.
The tiredness started to creep in. His eyelids felt heavy, harder and harder to keep open. And then… they closed.
He slept.
To Malakai, it felt like a blip.
As though he had only blinked.
One moment he was sleeping, and in the next… his eyes snapped open, the grip on his scythe instantly tightening.
‘W-what was that?’
Malakai pushed the drowsiness out of his system and rose from the bed.
He had just heard a noise coming from outside.