Chaos Cycle: The Eye of Genesis

It was the fifth day, and Inari's wounds have all healed up. She could use her mana freely, and more importantly, she felt the new vigour of her body. Whatever happened underwater that day, it has changed her, improved her constitution by a lot, and even her mana pool was increased by half a notch. But what was most important was that her Blessings have almost doubled in their potency. 

Inari did not know if it's natural, but she would have to ask her sister to know better. 

"I guess what they say is right," she muttered. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

"The quote is certainly true," Elior's voice loomed behind her, "but it's incomplete."

She looked back to notice the youth walking on the air to walk up towards her, the storage equipment on his shoulder as well as the fishing rod. The sea monsters did not just attack all the time it only surged during an event that mostly happened during the night with the storm and tempest. These few days, Elior killed almost every one of their prey, but it was still not enough for him. It appeared he was collecting their core for some reason.

Sure, the cores are one of the expensive things, but could one just kill around monsters all the time, and train the other time? He was certainly odd and somewhat crazy in his pursuit. Then again, how can he be so strong without being a little crazy? Talking about crazy, was he growing crazy without the suit for all five days? He certainly did not look like it, still wore the mask of the pretentious youth.

"So, what's the complete version?" she asked, raising her eyebrow.

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger," Elior said, "But it leaves you scarred as well."

The ocean turned silent, and she could hear the slow wind blowing. She could not refute his words, but she did not want any light on that matter any time soon.

"For how long are you going to keep on going like this?" she asked and seeing the obliviousness on his exterior, she continued, "It's five days, and how many sea monsters have you hunted, thousand? I think it was time to move towards the island now."

She was not just saying it for her sake. In the five days, fortunately, she did not have to face her traumatic experience again, but she went into his nightmare once more, and that time also, she failed to do anything. She was sure Elior does not like it, and it makes him unstable as all the time after the end of the trial, he will go hunting without caring about his life. He sure has not died, but he came back with scars and blood all over his body. He even pressed himself harder in the training, not sleeping enough or entirely not sleeping. And most of all, he was not wearing the suit, that makes everything twice as difficult.

"The island," Elior muttered, giving the egg-shaped island a look, "I will go there, eventually."

Inari bit her lips. It looks like she has to make the decision now. Elior certainly helped her immensely in these few days, but she can't go on like this. She would have wanted to help him get through his trauma, but it was almost impossible not knowing everything. She has to give up on that reluctantly.

"I will leave on my own tomorrow," she said, looking away in the setting sun. The test will come soon, so she won't have much time to leave.

Elior nodded as if it held no surprise about it. "I am sure you can get to the island easily," he said, "Moreover, you will get to second order soon."

Inari bit her lips and looked at him, which held his usual face. Moreover, the wisdom behind his face told her he understood why she was leaving.

"It is related to your nightmare, isn't it?" he asked, and it was a rhetorical question as he did not need an answer from her.

Inari still nodded. She just did not want to face her trauma again, nor did she want anyone to see it. She would probably kill herself instantly if she found herself in that dream again.

"Running away from your nightmare is not the way," he said slowly, "but you already know that."

"So you will get tormented in those memories?" She asked, "I am not strong enough to do that."

Just then the storm hit and fortunately, it did not turn up as a nightmare challenge, but one of the survival of one.

The heavy water surged, and the sky darkened instantly, roaring in deafening thunders. Lightning burst just a few hundred meters away, heaving the surge into a new order of chaos. Darkness and the heaviness in the air loomed heavier. Inari wore the mask back without thinking while Elior looked at the sky nonchalantly.

[Chain Quest: Survivor of the Nightmare Sea III

With each day, surviving in the nightmare sea becomes difficult. Only the brave, the persistent one strives in the nightmare sea. Survive your third ordeal in the nightmare sea and claim the prize.

Clearance requirement: Survive 30 minutes.

Reward: Mysterious Lunch Box, Mysterious Item Box, Mysterious Fortune Box, Unknown.]

"Huh," Inari muttered, "it's only 30 minutes today."

"That will mean the quest will be immensely difficult," Elior added, though there was no trouble on his face. He stored the fishing rod into the storage equipment and brought out the tall spear. A new one, he already destroyed two in these five days.

Inari sent him the party request first this time and equipped the sword that he gave her the first day. She had not used it in these few days, but today will be a different case.

"Getting excited about the battle, are we?" Elior said, and then opened the storage bag as it turned into a huge bag over two metres long and stored the boat first while Inari ran around to stay above the water.

She did not have uncanny abilities like Elior, who stayed up in the water as if nothing was going on. Actually, she was surprised it was the first time she tried to stand up on water, but her mana was not enough to keep her like that, as the very water negated all mana function slowly. She has to run around with swift speed to keep up on the water.

"What ability do you used to stand up on water?" Inari asked, with curiosity, and looked carefully at his legs and only then did she find his tricks. She never actually looked at it carefully. "You are not walking on water. There is some space between the water layer and your legs, but it doesn't look like some levitation spell."

"Spatial manipulation," Elior answered with a smile. "I know I am special."

Inari snorted, but she could not deny it. More importantly, that was one particular way to use Spatial abilities. So for what she saw, most always learn to travel if they have a spatial affinity. Maybe that was what makes him special. 

Inari formed an orb and charged it with enough mana as if beamed in light to brighten the surrounding by a notch. 

"I am going down," Elior said as his body went down slowly. "It's going to be thirty minutes, will make the most of it." 

Inari had no problem with that, but she stayed above the water, as fighting in the water was immensely difficult. Other than the heaviness, it also negates any kind of mana ability. though she will have access to her blessing, most of her light attributed ability will be inefficient in the water.

Then again, will Elior leave anything behind for her if she does not go into the water? 

Her question was answered immediately as she felt two sudden surges surrounding her. Her mind rang as mana churned in her channelling system, in a blink of an eye she was elsewhere as two sea beasts came lurched up where she was a moment ago.

Inari raised an eyebrow, and a golden glint appear in her eyes, as her blade beamed and enlarged into a golden light saber.

Inari crept on the water and made her move at the head of the monster. Blood sprayed on the air as she killed both of the monsters easily, but it was not so easy as soon she felt more surge in the water. 

More of the monster was coming, and they were coming in large numbers. 'Thirty minutes, huh,' she muttered and shot from one place to another. Her body beamed in a golden aura, flickering as she stopped to rush out more power.

The golden lightsaber charged in smooth, skill full motion as it drew the blood of the beast. There was no shortage of sea monsters, all came again and again, as her sword moved swiftly slicing, piercing, hacking, and severing them. 

[You have met the condition to advance to the next order.]