Chapter 173 - 173. Departure
Rank 3 body in the high tier.
Rank 2 sea of consciousness.
And, at last, rank 2 dantian in the gaseous stage.
All Noah's centers of power had greatly benefitted from his enrollment in the academy.
In the two years and a half in which he had been a student, he had grown in all the fields where he was lacking.
His knowledge about cultivation had vastly increased after receiving the instructions of his professors.
All his techniques and spells had been upgraded according to his element and battle style, he wasn't the kid that had to accept anything that had a better rank that his current methods anymore.
He had also found a way to become an inscription master, paving the way to his future improvements.
'I don't have enough money to buy techniques of higher ranks and I'm not even sure that they would sell them to me without roping me in some deal. I've exhausted everything that the academy could have given me.'
Realization dawned upon him, he knew that it was time to leave.
A token appeared in his hand.
It was green and it depicted the image of a lion-type magical beast with its head severed, it was the token of the Hunters' guild that Thaddeus had sent to him a while ago.
Then, he uncovered part of his chest area and looked at the orange rune that was slowly making its way toward his dantian.
'I need to stabilize my breakthrough before moving to the Royal city. Also, I need to take care of the matter about Eccentric Thunder…'
Noah cultivated for two more weeks in his accommodation.
His dantian only enlarged slightly, it seemed that it would take a long time before he could reach the liquid stage.
He had sent Ivor to prepare a carriage for their trip toward Elbas city, their coachman was already waiting in an area inside Arolyac forest.
"Go first, I have to take care of something."
Noah said to Ivor in a soft voice.
"I still don't understand all your hurry, what's better than a peaceful life accompanied by a beautiful girl?"
Ivor complained, shaking his head.
Noah moved his gaze on the stairs for the first floor and replied with a low voice.
"There is no peace for me."
He climbed the stairs slowly.
He had to admit that a part of him was reluctant to leave but his first focus had to always be his personal strength.
'The faculties here are no longer useful for my rank and I believe that the Royal city will offer me many different possibilities to increase my strength.'
He arrived in front of June's room.
She had picked up the clues about Noah's departure and became colder toward him in the last period.
'She must feel as if what happened in her childhood is reoccurring.'
Noah had probably become the only person she trusted after her family turned on her and hearing of his departure raised again her mental barriers.
"June, I'm leaving."
June was sitting cross-legged on the floor and she opened her eyes hearing Noah speak.
She snorted and spoke in an irritated voice.
"Then leave, what are you doing here?"
Noah sighed.
'It seems like our relationship regressed to when I first met her.'
"I need to give you something first."
"I don't need it!"
'Why is this so hard…'
Noah sighed again.
"Will you abandon the thought of surpassing me?"
She finally turned her head.
"Why would I do that? You know my plan! I will use-"
"Your family and your relationship with the Royals to gather resources in order to improve your personal power. I know, I can ensure you that it won't be enough."
Noah finished her phrase.
June stood up and shouted angrily at him.
"How can you be so sure? Tell me the truth, why did you become interested in me all of sudden? What were your intentions?"
'She has a point, I indeed approached her out of necessity.'
He sighed for the third time before staring June in her eyes.
"One day, they will find me, I need to move in order to obtain as many benefits as I can before I'm forced to run away again."
June was silenced as soon as Noah began to reveal information about himself.
Noah continued.
"Look, I needed to be sure of your character and I have to admit that among all those that wanted to exploit me, your frankness is a breath of fresh air."
June opened her mouth to speak but Noah raised one hand to stop her.
"I can't have more enemies and I have to be careful of my every move. I lie a lot to cover my tracks and I don't care much about anything except for cultivating, yet you didn't mind it and have accepted me anyway. I thank you for that, I have to say that I honestly like your company."
That was the truth.
After losing his mother and abandoning William, the only people with whom he could stop pretending were Ivor and June. However, Ivor was mainly interested in keeping the Elemental forging method alive while June had no hidden meaning behind her actions.
June blushed lightly and lowered her head, Noah's words resembled a confession of some sort which made her embarrassed.
Noah though had other intentions and stretched his right arm toward her.
"I trust you. If you feel the same, take my hand. You will understand part of my actions like this."
June raised her head and stared at the hand pointed toward her.
She hesitated for a few seconds before resolving her will and stretching her hand to reach Noah's one.
As the two hands touched each other, Noah tightened his grip and spoke in a solemn voice.
"I declare you Eccentric Thunder's heir."
The conditions of his deal were met and the orange rune moved from his torso toward his fingers before entering June's body.
A torrent of information flowed into her sea of consciousness and she released the handshake as she kneeled on the floor to support herself.
"This, this…"
She was speechless as the specifics of the inheritance ground became clear in her mind.
Attached to them, there were the memories of Noah's trial from when he entered the second stage to when he exited after making the deal.
Eccentric Thunder had secretly passed them down to warn his future heir about Noah's personality, he didn't know that those memories had the opposite effect to June.
Noah's strenuous battle that ultimately led to a failure in obtaining the inheritance due to his aptitude only increased her admiration toward the mysterious man in front of her.
"One last thing. If you ever try to use that power to harm me, I will forsake all the good moments that we had together and kill you without hesitation."
Noah gave her one last warning before smiling lightly and leaving the room.
From that moment on, he was no longer a student of the academy!
