Outside the Tower of Tribulation, Nolan and Gustaff watched the projection showing the happenings inside. Both wore a complicated expression.
When they saw Kyran's condition after returning, they already felt something was amiss. It was only his first training, yet he was in such a state.
Nolan crossed his arms with a thoughtful expression. From Kyran's condition, Nolan could roughly guess the level of training he went through, and it was not a level that the tower typically gave to beginners. The level of training he experienced was similar to those who succeeded more than 20 times.
His suspicion grew when the gold chests appeared. The projection did not show what was on the chest or what Kyran had chosen, but as far as Nolan knew, presented rewards in a chest were available only at a higher floor. Finally, there was the Recovery Room.
All these clues pointed that as soon as Kyran entered, the level of his training was comparable to higher floors.
"Nolan, this… he jumped levels, did he?" Gustaff broke Nolan's train of thoughts.
Nolan could only heave a sigh in response. This incident exceeded his expectations. No. He did not have any expectations in the first place as long as Kyran could improve fast; it was all good. However, if Nolan had expected the tower would give Kyran advanced level training in his first one, he would not have confiscated Kyran's storage pouch.
Kyran managed to survive his first training, but his sorry state after returning worried Nolan.
Nolan cleared his throat as he mentally kicked the sentiment off his mind. He would never admit he was worried about that kid.
"The tower must have judged the lower floor's training will do him no good," Nolan finally spoke after a moment's silence.
Gustaff took a deep breath and nodded his head slowly.
"That's possible," he replied in agreement. "Anyway, he went inside the Recovery Area. It means he plans on moving up."
Nolan nodded his head.
"It's too early to stop," he agreed.
"But, seeing the state he was at when he returned, his training looked dangerous," Gustaff remarked with a slight frown.
A teasing smile tugged at the corner of Nolan's lips as he said, "The dangerous his training gets, the better."
Gustaff looked at him with an unbelieving expression, "Tsk. Tsk. Such a bully. Does master Cade know about this?"
Then he paused as if realizing something. With a shake of his head, Gustaff answered his own question, "Of course he does. Letting his son train inside the tower is probably his idea."
Nolan's teasing smile did not falter from what Gustaff had said. But if someone who had an excellent observing skill were with them, that person would have noticed a cold glint flickered in Nolan's eyes for the briefest moment.
"Too bad we can't see what kind of training he just had. I'm curious how he ended up looking like that," Gustaff added while looking at the Recovery Room's closed door.
Nolan remained silent. But he agreed with Gustaff's sentiment.
'I can ask the kid when he goes out,' he thought. He paused and thought of something. 'As long as he is allowed to share it,' he added thoughtfully.
Sometimes, the tower's restrictions were very troublesome.
Meanwhile, back on Kyran's side. After taking a recovery potion, cleaning up, and changing into a new set of clothes, he sat cross-legged on one of the beds and examined the rewards he received.
He first checked the Grimoire of Nothingness.
The book was thick and a little heavy because the cover was made of a very sturdy dark purple material. Kyran examined the runes and was amazed at how they had been artistically carved on the cover. What was more, the runes gave off faint Void magic, meaning whoever carved the runes on the book's cover also possessed Void magic.
"Does this mean there are others who possessed Void magic?" Kyran wondered out loud.
"Of course not!"
True Void's voice sounded suddenly.
Then the ring on Kyran's finger glowed as True Void sprang out, looking a little dissatisfied based on the crooked pout on the miniature armor's lips.
Kyran looked at him with raised brows. He was not surprised that True Void could force himself out of the storage ring because the ring did not have any restrictive capability. His reaction was more with True Void's adamant denial that no other people possessed Void magic.
Before Kyran could ask about it, True Void had already started explaining.
"The four great power is not something that anyone can possess. As for why that book had faint Void magic on the runes, it is because my master wrote that."
Kyran's eyes widened, "What?"
He looked at the book in his hand. No wonder his Void core trembled when he saw it. This book was not only connected to his predecessor. It could be considered his.
True Void puffed out his chest, and Kyran could almost see a smug look on his face.
He said, "Of course. When my master went here in the past, this book was one of his spoils in a very dangerous plane he ventured to. At first, there were no rune writings on the cover. But my master placed a special seal on it, thus, the reason for the rune writings in front."
After hearing True Void's words, doubt surfaced in Kyran's mind.
"If this book was his spoil, why did he leave it here?" He asked, looking at True Void.
True Void sighed and shook his head. He replied, "I don't know. I remember him telling the tower to keep it because he thought he was not strong enough for it."
'Not strong enough,' Kyran repeated in his head and looked at the book again. If his predecessor thought this, he likely entered the tower when his magic level was still low. But once he reached a higher level, why did he not return to take it back?
Kyran looked at True Void.
As if sensing Kyran's thoughts, True Void sat cross-legged in midair before facing him. He said, "My master already had me when he entered the tower. Although at that time, I hadn't formed a spirit yet, and I am tooooo small compared to my upgraded majestic form. Anyway, my master was a practical man. He chose to improve my level instead of replacing me with a new one he did not even know the origin of. More importantly, what it could do."
'This book is considered a weapon?' Kyran thought in wonder.
He had read so many strange magic items and weapons, but as far as he knew, if a mage had a book with him, it could not be considered a weapon. At most, its pages were made of special parchment with ready to cast incantations. A book like this would greatly reduce a mage's casting time or even magic array formation. But when a mage reached a certain level, it would become useless. It was for this reason that few actually practiced it.
Thinking of this, Kyran opened the book. Not even five seconds had passed; he closed it again, his expression turning grim.
The book's pages were empty.
'Is this why it is called the Grimoire of Nothingness? Because there is nothing written on it?'
Even as a joke, Kyran was not laughing. Did he waste his reward for a useless item? Right now, the only thing he could think of the book's use was to hit it on his enemy's head. Given enough force, with the book's sturdy cover, he could knock anyone out cold. He might even crack their skull open if he had the Regis Blessing activated.
Heaving a deep sigh, Kyran looked at the book again. It definitely had a use. There must be a reason if his predecessor believed he was not strong enough when he acquired it.
'There's no rush. I can learn it when I get back,' he decided after a moment's contemplation and returned the book in the storage ring.
Next, he examined the Void Tool.
While Kyran was busy checking the Void Tool, True Void watched him in silence. He was also curious about the rewards Kyran had chosen.
It did not take Kyran long to understand that the Void Tool was called a 'tool' and not a 'hammer' because the tool's head could change depending on what smithing tool Kyran thought of. This magic item would truly help him in many ways.
Kyran's satisfaction with the Void Tool offset his frustration with the Grimoire of Nothingness.
Last, Kyran checked the purple slip the tower had called the Ancient Teaching of Void Magic. Based on the name, it contained one ancient teaching of Void magic.
'…'
Kyran's brow twitched at his thoughts. He just repeated the title of the slip when he tried to analyze it and felt a little foolish.
'Let's see what's inside,' he finally decided and let his magic sense enter inside the slip.
The moment his magic sense entered the slip, a great amount of information rushed into Kyran's mind.
'This…!' His eyes widened at the information the slip was pouring into his head. Soon after, his eyes glowed reddish-purple as the information sank into his mind. He did not expect that Void magic could be used in the way described in the slip. If he mastered it, he would really become a force to be reckoned with.
"Oi, Void Halfling. Why are you laughing like an idiot there."
True Void's voice snapped Kyran out of his thoughts.
He belatedly realized indeed he was chuckling like an idiot.
"Sorry. I'm reminded of how powerful Void magic really is and felt how naive I had been," Kyran replied, still chuckling.
"Of course, it is powerful! If not, why else would that whore want to get rid of my master?" True Void bragged.
"Yeah, you're right," Kyran did not try to refute even though what True Void said was not a good thing to brag about.
Kyran put the slip and the tool in the storage ring and finally stood up.
"Let's go," he told True Void before walking toward the door.
"Sure! Sure!" True Void replied and followed.
When the two returned in front of the gold tablet, the overlapping voices spoke.
"Are you ready to proceed?"
"Yes," Kyran replied without hesitation.
"May you enrich your knowledge on your chosen path."
A blinding light burst out from the gold tablet, and an invisible force wrapped around Kyran and True Void.
The two were transported to the next training.
When the light lifted, Kyran gaped at his surroundings in confusion.
They were transported in a gray painted room with several doors. Labels written in Void runes were seen above each door, and Kyran blinked at what he had read.
"This room is…"
True Void also looked at the doors and shook his head, "Tsk. Tsk. Alas, you are also taken here."
Kyran looked at him and did not need to ask to understand that his predecessor had also been in this room.
"Does this mean I have to choose… one specialty?" Kyran asked while looking at the labels.
The labels on the doors were different branches of magic learning.
Alchemy. Array. Astrology. Dark Arts. Divination. Elements. Incantations. Light Arts. Puppetry. Spirit Contract.
And so on.
Looking at all the branches written on the labels, Kyran felt the start of a headache.
