Ashen Ascension: The Divided Flame-Chapter 59: Deal With Nara

Ivor did not answer immediately after Nara spoke of one thousand raw crystals. The number lingered in his thoughts as he calculated what it truly meant within the bounds of the Scar. In his experience, a skeleton yielded a single raw crystal.

To gather one thousand would require one thousand kills, and he was not even certain the Scar contained that many wandering dead within reach of a single boy. The alternative would be to take crystals from other children, yet he understood with equal clarity that repeated theft on that scale would not go unnoticed. Word would spread, groups would form, and he would be hunted long before he reached even half that amount.

"That is too many crystals," he said at last.

"Yes," Nara replied evenly, "but it is not that many. I do have that amount. I simply cannot use it."

Ivor shook his head once. "Where will I get that many skeletons?"

Nara’s brows lifted in visible surprise. "Don’t tell me you think that to get one thousand crystals you need to kill one thousand skeletons."

Ivor did not respond. His expression remained unchanged.

Nara drew a slow breath and rubbed his forehead, as though confronted with a misunderstanding too obvious to have anticipated. When he spoke again, his voice carried a measured patience.

"Killing skeletons is one way, yes, and looting from other humans is even better if you can manage the risk. But there is another way.

This is a Scar. Scars are not merely battlefields; they are fractured lands where mana gathers and mutates. There are mana fruits that grow near unstable flows, healing plants that absorb mana, and even small crystal veins hidden beneath the ground. In some areas, pure mana pools form for brief periods before dispersing. These are resources, and resources have value."

He watched Ivor carefully to ensure the words were understood.

"If you collect such materials and bring them to me, I can convert them. Mana fruits and healing plants can be exchanged for raw crystals. Small veins, if found, can yield far more than a handful of skeletons would. With enough gathered over time, you could reach one thousand without slaughtering one thousand undead."

Ivor considered this without visible reaction. The Scar, in his mind, had always been a place of threat.

He had not viewed it as a source of harvest. Yet he had seen unusual growths before: thick leaves that pulsed faintly at night, patches of earth that glimmered where mana seeped upward. He had avoided them out of caution. Now he reconsidered.

"You believe I can collect that much?" he asked.

"I do," Nara answered without hesitation. "Not in a single week, and not without effort, but you have patience. That is more valuable than brute strength inside a Scar."

Ivor remained unconvinced, and Nara saw it plainly in his eyes. The calculation was ongoing, cautious and guarded. Recognizing that hesitation, Nara spoke again, this time altering his approach.

"But it is not as though I am simply asking and offering nothing in return."

That drew Ivor’s attention more fully, though his expression did not change.

"Since you are from the Shrouded District, I believe what you lack most is knowledge and skills," Nara continued. "Both of which I can provide in abundance."

A faint shift passed through Ivor’s gaze.

"I come from the Core District," Nara said, allowing a trace of pride to enter his voice. "My father is a Weapon Forger. In fact, my family has been weapon forgers for generations."

Ivor offered no visible reaction, and for a moment Nara wondered whether the significance of that statement had been lost on him.

Yet Ivor had not failed to understand. The title stirred an old memory, his mother working with quiet focus, tools laid out in careful order, the faint glow of mana tracing through metal under her hands. She had once been an awakened weapon forger as well, though that life no longer belonged to her.

Nara continued, assuming he needed to clarify. "Weapon forging is not simple metalwork. It is a prestigious profession. We craft weapons capable of safely channeling mana without shattering or causing backlash. We engrave internal mana paths, tune resonance between wielder and weapon, and align the final product to specific matrices. It requires technical knowledge, resources, and access to proper materials."

He folded his arms lightly as he spoke. "It also means my family has influence and wealth. I have access to proper education, books from the Core District, and skill scrolls that do not circulate here in the lower rotations."

Ivor listened carefully now.

"I can bring you a book on the economics of Phelios so you understand how money truly moves in this world," Nara went on. "I can bring texts on side professions if you wish to pursue one. And certainly, I can provide material on the Vladiric Domain so you understand how our clan functions and how power is structured within it."

He paused briefly before adding, "You do not need to remain ignorant of how this world works simply because you were born in the Shrouded District."

Ivor did not speak at once, but his thoughts had shifted from simple accumulation of resources to something broader. Knowledge, unlike raw crystals, could not be stolen.

A thought lingered in Ivor’s mind, and he voiced it without hesitation.

"If you have money, why not use it for Lily?"

The change in Nara’s expression was immediate. Whatever composure he had maintained faltered, and for a brief moment something unguarded surfaced in his eyes before he forced it back.

"Unfortunately, I cannot," he said quietly. "Family complications."

He did not elaborate, and Ivor did not press further.

"But I can give you everything I just offered," Nara continued, regaining his steadiness. "Especially skills. Skills are the foundation for any warrior. If you begin incorrectly, it will follow you for the rest of your life."

Ivor remained silent, considering the implications. The offer had value. Still, there was one detail he needed clarified.

"What level of skill?" he asked.

"The best basic tier available," Nara replied without hesitation. "Even intermediate, if you can handle it. Core District standard."

That was not a small promise. Ivor made his decision then. He would remain inside the Scar for a year, perhaps longer. An external contact with access to structured knowledge and materials was not merely useful; it was necessary.

"I also need clothing, food, and water," he added evenly.

Nara nodded at once.

"I will also first need to see what you bring before agreeing." Ivor added. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Nara held Ivor’s gaze as if testing him one last time, yet beneath that composure lay an understanding that his own position left little room for refusal. Whatever complications bound him prevented him from seeking help elsewhere.

"I agree," Nara said at last.

Ivor inclined his head. "We can meet here tomorrow." He paused, then added, "Can you give me the healing berries you had earlier?"

Nara reached into his satchel without hesitation and retrieved four small berries, the same ones he had offered before. He placed them in Ivor’s hand. The wound across Ivor’s back had not closed properly, and he intended to accelerate its recovery.

Nara released a measured breath and bent down to lift Luna’s body carefully into his arms. For a moment he stood there, holding her as though uncertain which direction to face.

"I will return tomorrow," he said.

He turned and walked away through the trees, his figure gradually obscured by the dense growth of the Scar. Ivor watched him go and, for a fleeting instant, recognized the solitude in his posture.

When Nara disappeared from view, Ivor turned back toward the undergrowth where he had concealed his belongings. He retrieved his bag without difficulty and then climbed the thick tree nearby, ascending with practiced ease until he reached a sturdy branch high above the forest floor.