The two men who had been outside before to watch the spar between the woman and the raven were in front of him. One kneeled, while the other bowed.

After they stood back up, he said, "Hmm. My soldiers would have already torn you to bits if you hadn't gathered the attention of the people. They just want to do it … publicly. Still, I've stopped them because I don't want Angaria to think that the Black Raven Kingdom indiscriminately kills those that foolishly question the blessing of our deity. I have an offer for you, but I wonder if you are brave enough to accept it."

Hearing the words of the Black Raven King, a cold sweat had formed on Elanev's back.

He had known exactly how risky this whole scenario was, but he had been banking on the renowned pride of the Black Raven Kingdom to save him.

After all, from his journey, he knew that it was only by taking risks that one could grow.

Although he did have a backup plan utilizing something he had acquired by chance after leaving Lanthanor, he thankfully did not have to use it anymore because it did not seem like he would be killed in cold blood.

Getting back the same swagger he had had when he had commented on the woman before, he said, "Unless it is something that is unfair, I am ready to take any offer that fulfills my wishes. I've traveled far and wide for this, and there's no way I'll go back empty-handed without many others hearing about it if I do."

Perception was a powerful thing. If it really became known across the continent that someone who had come to the Black Raven Kingdom seeking to find out about the specialty of black ravens was either sent back without an answer or killed, it would make everyone think that someone was right.

As a prideful people, this was definitely something that the Kingdom would be unable to bear.

Hence, Elanev's confidence was well-warranted.

Yet, what the Black Raven King said next startled him, making him almost drop the facade of a strong expert looking for a rival.

"I will personally fight you in public after limiting my strength to yours using special trinkets. I will also only use a similarly leveled Black Raven as a companion. What do you say, Challenger? The Black Raven Kingdom never backs down from a fight. It is high time the continent is reminded of this fact."

...…

[Host status updating. Please standby.

Host status:

Host Fighter Level: Human-7(22%)

Host Mage Level: Human-7(22%)

Host Body Potential:

Host Comprehension Level: ????

Host Condition: Nominal]

"System… why are there question marks beside the comprehension level? Playback all recent notifications."

[System does not contain enough data to a.s.sess host's comprehension level. Playing back:

Confinement completed. System congratulates host on breaking through his limit. Mageroot has broken through to the next level. Data insufficient, system is unable to a.s.sess and cla.s.sify the level of host's Mageroot.

End of playback.]

Hearing the notification, Daneel's hands which had been about to plunge into the red goo to continue training fell to his side.

His comprehension had…broken through?

But how?

And why wasn't he feeling anything different?

After thinking for a moment, Daneel understood why this was the case.

Comprehension decided the ease and speed with which one could comprehend and connect with elementary particles in order to use them at their will.

The simple fact was that he hadn't cast any spells since this 'breakthrough', making it so that he had had no chance to experience whether there was any change.

Getting up, Daneel raised his hand in the air to try and conjure the same attack that he had used to defeat the Axelorian Commander: "Wood Cleaver."

Daneel was, after all, someone who had the talent of a legendary mage. Hence, although he had only seen Kellor's attack for a small period of time in order to let the system a.n.a.lyze it, he could still try and form on it on his own without the system's help.

The long, wooden handle which was the body of the axe was the first thing that started to appear.

This was when Daneel started to notice a difference. Usually, he would have already felt a resistance from the wood elementary particles in the air as he did not understand their patterns and behaviors as well as Kellor did. Hence, he would have had to resort to brute force, which would have ended up tiring him immensely.

Now, even as the handle was slowly being conjured, Daneel was rapidly understanding the very essence of wood which Kellor had taken years to grasp.

Although there were many aspects of wood, he understood that the one needed right now was st.u.r.diness.

Layers and layers of particles, arranged in intricate patterns that added a resilience comparable to metal when the wood was thick enough.

Yet, just as he was about to delve deeper into the mysteries that he found fascinating, the particles that he had been guiding till now started to get out of control.

Soon enough, he realized that he would have to brute force it if he wanted to continue.

Stopping the conjuring, Daneel sat on the floor with an astonished expression on his face.

He had actually reached this point so fast!

There was only one explanation: his comprehension really had increased.

But why?

As he asked himself this, Daneel thought back to the moment before he had fainted beside Faxul in the Chamber.

Till then, he had been resisting the pressure from the ent.i.ty which had wanted to destroy and consume him.

Yet, at the moment when the pressure had been removed due to the system confining it, he had felt … liberated, as if he were a flower that would only grow higher if it were stepped down upon.

That must definitely have been the moment of breakthrough.

As Daneel thought along these lines, another question appeared to him.

"System, is there any change in my training speed and time to becoming a Warrior because of this breakthrough?"