Capítulo 25: Claim

[Your path, Honorable Master, unfortunately is the Spiritist Pathway]

Although the written words should not have said so much, Damien felt the deep regret in the sentence.

He quickly wrote down his concern on the page. "What do you mean, 'unfortunately'? Is this Pathway too weak?"

If he was honest with himself, he was slightly disappointed. However, he was aware that he could no longer change the destiny of his Pathway.

This was because the Pathways were composed of different ingredients, and taking a mismatched pill could cause them to collide with each other, resulting in loss of control and ultimately death.

He was not naive enough to risk his life like that.

This time, Mirodar took a few moments longer to answer, as if he was considering carefully whether or not to reveal this information. But he had judged Damien's question trivial enough not to cost him any lifespan.

[Each Pathway has its own advantages and disadvantages. But I would rather say that you have the Right Pathway. Your potential lies in your mind and spirit rather than in brute force. However, the complete list of ingredients for the Spiritist Pathway Pill has been lost in the passage of time. To put it more simply, in this era, only you possess this pathway]

Among the various Factions, there were incomplete Pathways whose ingredients were only recorded up to a certain rank, after which the knowledge was lost.

This could be due to past wars where the victors took all the knowledge of their defeated opponents. Or perhaps the original formula itself was never completed.

Personally, he leaned toward the second option. Had it been for the conflicts of a war, the victors would most likely have kept this pathway within their ranks. But according to Mirodar, it was the only Spiritist Pathway of that era.

He didn't know if that was a blessing or a curse. What was certain was that his mood was saddened by the realization that it was basically impossible to obtain the formula for his pill.

Nevertheless, he wrote, "Why can't you give me the formula? Is the price too high?"

If it were just a high price, it would be less of a problem. He would be willing to raise his Hierarchy as a noble vampire, and once that was done, he would exchange his lifespan for the formula. He only hoped that Mirodar would be willing to negotiate. Otherwise, his fate as the last Spiritist would be sealed.

Wouldn't that be sad enough, the last Spiritist being so pathetic?

If it were earlier, Damien would certainly hesitate to trade his useful life for the knowledge he sought. However, Mirodar's reference to his pathway as the Right one made him reconsider his earlier thoughts and realize that perhaps his pathway was not so simple after all, especially when it came to the mind and spirit.

For example, his Mind Intrusion ability, even though it did not contribute to his physical strength, was the main point by which Damien was able to defeat his two enemies.

[Honorable Master, I am afraid I cannot give you what you seek, for my own knowledge remains sealed. To retrieve it, I would have to search the memories of others or the World Archives. But that which pertains to your pathway is under the jurisdiction of a more powerful entity who may be aware of my actions].

Damien's lips curved into a slight smirk as he replied:

"Oh? Is Mirodar afraid of anything?"

[Hmph! Me, the Great Mirodar, afraid? That's the most absurd thing I've heard in millennia!]

Damien couldn't help but laugh at the book's silly answer.

"Sorry, Mirodar, but you definitely sound like a Tsundere right now."

[I'm not a tsundere!]

"Sure, sure. Whatever a tsundere says."

[... Anyway, if I attract undue attention, they'll steal poor me, and you'll probably die].

Well, that's certainly not something I wish for." Damien spoke aloud this time and pursed his lips.

[However, Honorable Master, let me tell you that there are actually a few ways to get the formulas for your Pathway]

When Mirodar suggested that there were quicker ways to get the formulas, Damien's curiosity was immediately piqued.

"Spit it out, what are those options?"

[The first is to wait a year until I regain my energy and give you the Spiritist Pathway Rank 1 formula. But you can also claim the throne]

Damien looked at the huge stone seat and silently wondered what he should do: leave blood like in the novels?

Before he could ask, Mirodar replied:

[iHonorable Master, you must sit on the throne! There is no danger to your life because only a Spiritist Pathway can connect with it. In fact, the reason your consciousness has come this far is because of your Pathway. First claim the throne, and then we'll talk!]

It sounded simple. And unlike waiting a year, this option could give him instant access if his assumption wasn't wrong. Damien started walking, wondering inwardly why his pathway seemed to be connected to this place.

As Damien took his seat on the stone throne, he felt a shiver run through him from head to toe. A strange tingling sensation took over his body as his mind seemed to merge with the energy emanating from the room.

Suddenly, a soft glow enveloped his silhouette. Hovering just above the throne, he looked up to see his own image surrounded by a silvery halo. Before he could process what was happening, the strange aura whirled around him and was sucked into his being.

It looked like a black hole sucking out all energy. A crazy vortex formed in front of him, and he swallowed everything. At that moment, his mind felt as vast as the sea.

Slowly, he descended and his butt touched the cold stone of the throne again. When he was done, he saw a crown tattooed on the back of his hand; it was a deep gold at first and gradually turned yellow, almost dark.

Damien straightened his back and held out his hand, "Rise."

It was a matter of a moment. Where once there had been a chaos of stones and broken glass, they began to rise slowly from the ground.

He watched as each piece found its place. It was as if time was rewinding to undo the damage. Soon they were nothing more than debris, floating in the air for a few seconds before settling back into place.

When it was over, the castle stood before him in all its glory, as if the passage of time had left no mark.

Damien felt his lips forming a broad smile. This castle was basically his now, and he could change it as much as he wanted, just by imagining it.

But that was not what made him so happy, it was the varied information he received.