The Forsaken Heir's Ascension
Chapter 75: Shadows and Secrets

Chapter 75: Shadows and Secrets

In the realm of darkness, Alex and the others continued their relentless training. As the days passed.

On the other side of the realm, Meika had begun living among strange people—beings who seemed to exist in harmony with the darkness itself. Under their quiet guidance, she was learning not just to manipulate darkness, but to become one with it.

Lying on a cold stone bed inside her small igloo-shaped home, she stared up at the smooth, dark ceiling. Her mind buzzed with awe.

Their training really is efficient... In just two days, I’ve learned to control my Dark Element with a precision I never thought possible.

But what shocked me the most... was the Darkness Elemental Armor. Not even my father—a Sage—has ever mentioned anything like that. It’s unheard of in the outside world.

Resolve burned in her eyes as she stood up and stepped outside. One of the adults noticed her immediately and knelt in greeting. She waved her hand, gesturing for him to rise. Then, moving her hands down the outline of her body, she asked, "Can you show me the armor again?"

The man studied her gestures, then gave a soft hiss of understanding. With just a thought, the shadows around him surged.

Before Meika’s eyes, the armor formed.

Her breath caught.

It was a sinister armor, formed entirely from condensed Darkness Element. It clung to his body like a second skin, shadow wrapping tightly around every curve and contour—so precise it revealed the full shape of the wearer with eerie clarity. The armor didn’t reflect light; it devoured it, giving off an unnatural void-like aura. It looked less like armor, more like a living entity of pure darkness.

Only his eyes remained visible—twin glowing embers burning through the black shroud. Two small, curved horns protruded from the helmet, adding a demonic silhouette to the already fearsome figure.

When he moved, the shadows rippled like liquid night, silent...

Meika could only stare, heart pounding.

This isn’t just armor, she thought. It’s something more... something alive.

With resolve burning in her eyes, Meika began her training, determined to form the Darkness Elemental Armor.

She focused inward, feeling the dark element coursing through her body. Drawing it out, she tried to condense it around herself—but the moment it left her skin, it dispersed into the air like mist.

Frustrated, she muttered, "That’s not it..."

Trying again, she focused her energy into her hand. The dark element flared up like shadowy fire, wrapping her fingers, then creeping up her forearm. But once again, it dissolved into the air before it could solidify.

Clenching her fists, she whispered through gritted teeth, "What am I doing wrong?"

She kept trying—again and again. For two days, she pushed herself until her body ached and her mind was frayed. And when her frustration reached its peak, a knock echoed at her door.

Meika stood from the floor, approached, and opened it. Standing there was the same silent man who had once shown her the armor.

He gestured for her to follow.

Curious, she stepped out and followed him as he led her to the edge of the village. She looked around at the dim, quiet surroundings. "Where are we going?" she asked.

No answer came.

They approached a larger igloo, outside of which small children played. As soon as the children saw her, they rushed over with wide, curious eyes—sniffing, touching, and peering at her with innocent wonder.

"HISSSSSSSSS!"

The sharp sound cut through the air, and the children immediately scattered. The man led her inside the igloo.

Inside, children sat in perfect silence, all facing the front, where a tall adult figure moved slowly and hissed softly. It was a school—and that adult was the teacher.

Her guide motioned for Meika to sit on the floor with the others. She obeyed, her eyes filled with curiosity.

The man stepped forward and whispered in hisses to the teacher. After a short exchange, he turned and left, hissing once in farewell.

The teacher looked down at Meika, then began to demonstrate.

He extended a single finger, and a wisp of dark element emerged from the tip. Slowly, he wrapped it in a thin veil of shadow. Then, one by one, he did the same with each finger—precise, controlled, deliberate.

Then came the palm. Then the forearm. Inch by inch, he built the armor—not with brute force, but with mastery. Eventually, his entire hand was covered in perfectly molded darkness, like a second skin of shadows.

Then he did the same with his foot, slowly building the armor from the toes upward.

Meika leaned forward, eyes wide, absorbing every movement, every subtle control.

It’s not about the quantity of dark element, she realized. It’s about control. Precision. Efficiency.

If I start small—finger by finger, limb by limb—I’ll not only improve my control but eventually form the armor too.

It’s not impossible. But it’s going to take more than just resolve... It’ll take patience, practice, and discipline.

She clenched her fists, awe mixing with determination.

To form armor with just a thought... how much control do they truly possess?

So this is what it means to be one with darkness.

As the days passed, training continued in the realm of darkness...

In the Academy, a young man with violet eyes and black hair moved toward the office of Teacher Emilia Aurelwyn.

Knock knock

The door opened by itself.

He stepped inside. The teacher was sitting behind the chair straight and looking at him with a neutral gaze.

A commanding sound came, "Mr. Veylor, what can I do for you?"

Riven said with an anxious expression and impatient voice, "Teacher, where are they? Why didn’t they come back? It’s been more than ten days? It was only a C-rank dimension? Did something happen?"

He blurted question after question in just one breath.

Her eyes turned amused. In a calm voice, "Mr. Veylor, first calm down."

She gestured her hand toward the chair in front of her. "Please sit down."

As he sat down, she flicked her finger. A glass came in front of him. "Please drink this first."

After he took just a sip, he put down the glass and asked anxiously, "Teacher, where are they? Why—"

Before he could go on again like before, she stopped him with a hand gesture and said in a neutral voice, "Mr. Veylor, please tell me who are you talking about?"

He, realizing his mistake, said, "Sorry teacher, Lyra Duskthorn. I’m talking about Lyra."

He repeated the name two times.

Her face became serious this time. Her hands clenched on her seat. She said, hiding her inner turmoil in a neutral tone, "Mr. Veylor, forgive me, but I can’t give you the information right now."

He stood up and screamed, "Why?"

She said, narrowing her eyes and in an angry tone, "Mr. Veylor, please maintain the basic etiquette."

He sat down and asked meekly, "Please teacher, can you tell me, please?"

He kept looking at her with eyes begging.

She thought, How can this cold person care for someone? But the anxiousness he is showing looks to be real? Did he truly fall in love with her?

Emilia, stopping her thoughts, looked at Riven, who was waiting anxiously for her answer, hands fidgeting, moving on the chair like the seat was uncomfortable.

She let out a defeated sigh and said, "Mr. Veylor, please keep this secret. Do not tell anyone about this."

She paused, waiting for his affirmation. He nodded immediately.

She replied with a hand on her forehead and a whisper-like voice, "Lyra Duskthorn and all others who went with her went into the C-rank portal, which didn’t close in the last fifty years and was public."

She paused a little to let Riven understand this.

"The portal suddenly vanished after they entered. There is no sign of anyone coming out."

Riven clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, stood up and left muttering, "Thanks," as he went out, slamming the door behind.

Emilia kept looking, then she leaned back looking at the roof, muttered "Why is he always surrounded by danger, does fate truly hate him that much?"

Riven entered his luxurious dorm room, slamming the door behind.

He glared in the air and said with gritted teeth, "What do you have to say about yourself, system?"

[System]: Host, please specify.

He replied, almost shouting, "YOU KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT. Tell me, did you know?"

[System]: If host refers to the portal his helper entered—yes. It was within calculated probability.

Veins popped on his forehead with anger, and with gritted teeth he asked, "So you lied to me?"

[System]: Host was provided an optimal path for accelerated growth.

"Fffffuck, Fuckkkkkkkkk you!" he screamed and started slamming the chair around the room.

Boom boom

After the chair broke completely, Riven sat down on the floor with ragged breath. He said, "System! From now on, I’ll never trust you."

A reply came with a red screen this time.

[System]: Host will perish if he ceases cooperation.

Riven’s eyes widened. He clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white....