The Author's Viewpoint-Chapter 79 - The Shadow Tier

Tave’s eyes snapped open.

Immediately, he felt it. That surge, like a current of raw power rushing through every nerve in his body. He sat up straight, breath sharp, muscles tensed not from pain, but from an overwhelming sense of restoration.

"Woof!"

Fang bounded excitedly around him, tail whipping the air as he barked again and again, the sounds bursting with joy and energy. It was less a greeting and more a celebration. Like he’d been shouting for Tave to wake up.

Tave smiled, just a small curve of his lips, and exhaled slowly. The cool air hit his lungs like clarity.

He glanced around.

He was lying just outside the forest’s edge.

Huh...

Last thing he remembered, he was inside, right before the border. He must’ve collapsed after the ritual. It had taken more out of him than he thought. But Fang must’ve pulled him here. Dragged or carried him out while he was unconscious.

Of course he did.

Last night,Tave had made the call to keep Fang out of the fight. Not out of doubt, but out of respect. The monsters they hunted were Fang’s kin. Other shadow wolves. He couldn’t bring himself to make Fang watch as they were torn apart.

And now Tave had succeeded.

He had claimed the Alpha Shadow Wolf. He had completed the Bloodline Override. And damn, he had done it right.

His once-exhausted core had been revived. Both of them were active again.

This was the kind of breakthrough he needed. No delays. No setbacks. Just clean, fast progress.

"Alright..." he muttered, still grinning as he summoned his interface.

"Let’s see what we’ve got now."

[ Name: Tave ]

[ Level - Stage: 22 - Gaia Guardian ]

[ Elements: Fire (High) | Shadow (Low) | Soul Fire (Low) ]

[ Sigils: Shadow Cloak ]

[ Relics: The Flamebound Seraph ]

[ Echoes: None ]

[ Pacts: None ]

Level 22. Not bad.

Tave smirked faintly as the number appeared. One full level gained right after the Bloodline Override. It wasn’t as high as he’d secretly hoped, but it was still solid progress, especially considering the quality of the sacrifice.

His Fire Affinity was still high. Naturally, given how deeply it was woven into his core. But something else stood out.

His Dark Element was gone. In its place, Shadow Element, with a low affinity.

"Well, yeah..."

This was how it worked. When someone unlocked an advanced version of an element, the base version disappeared from their profile. It wasn’t loss, it was evolution.

And he had finally unlocked Shadow.

Damn, that was a huge leap. Shadow wasn’t just an aesthetic twist on Dark. It came with a whole new category of skills, mobility, stealth, manipulation, and tricks that Dark alone couldn’t offer.

Already, his mind buzzed with ideas. Combat tactics. Utility applications. Movement techniques. Even bonding deeper with Fang. The possibilities opened up like a hundred doors swinging wide all at once.

Then his gaze moved further down.

Soul Fire – Low Affinity.

Expected. After all, he had merged Dark and Fire within himself during the earlier awakening. Soul Fire was a result of that delicate fusion, and now it was officially part of his elemental arsenal.

The rest was unchanged. His Sigil. His Relic. Still present. Still powerful.

Tave summoned his Relic, and it materialized instantly in his hand, glowing faintly with a deep red aura, pulsing like a heartbeat wrapped in flame.

He stepped forward.

And slashed.

The motion was smooth, clean, and fast. Almost before he even registered the thought, his body was already moving into the next form, another strike, another transition. The weight of the blade, the speed of his arms, the raw surge of power coursing through him...

This was different.

He didn’t just feel stronger. He felt transformed. Like his entire form had been refined. Sharper. Meaner. Leaner.

With this kind of power, Tave knew. He could take on more. Push further. Face things that were completely out of reach just days ago.

And then he stopped, lifted his left hand, and pressed his fingers together, forming quick hand seal moves.

From the space between his thumb and index finger, a flicker sparked. A faint, ghostly flame that danced in the air, dim and unstable, as if one breath could snuff it out... and yet, it clung.

It was Soul Fire.

He stared at it quietly, a small, amused grin forming on his face.

This idea had been nothing more than a random inspiration when he first wrote it. A nod to an old anime he loved back in his world. Just a cool, edgy mechanic he’d thought would never make it past the page.

And now?

It was his.

This fire didn’t just burn the enemy. It burned the caster too. It was drawing directly from the core, draining stamina in large amounts. It wasn’t sustainable. Not for long.

But if used strategically?

It was devastating.

Even a flicker of this flame, if embedded in someone’s eyes for example. It wouldn’t stop burning until the target lost access to their vision entirely.

That was the nature of Soul Fire. Not brute force, but relentless erosion. A slow, merciless burn that punished the arrogant and shredded the overconfident.

Tave smirked faintly, then closed his fingers, snuffing out the flame.

He had so many ways to use this. And the world had no idea what was coming!

Tave sheathed his sword, the red glow fading as it disappeared back into his storage. He exhaled slowly, then began walking across the dew-damp grass. The air was calm, the sky slowly shifting into morning hues.

Beside him, Fang ran playfully in wide arcs. Still fast, still graceful, but he no longer had to chase Tave to keep pace.

"Fang," Tave called with a smirk, "we’re finally ready to meet the elves of Vensalor Kingdom. Let’s hope they show up soon... I’m itching for our next adventure."

Fang barked, tail slicing the air with excitement. He leapt forward, did a spin mid-air, and landed without a sound.

Tave chuckled. "What do you think? Another rift expedition?"

More barking.

"Tier 4. Sound good?"

Woof. Woof.

The Vensalor Kingdom.

A realm unlike any other, perched high above the world, resting upon a colossal Floating Island suspended among the clouds. Wrapped in mist and cloaked in the endless sky, this was the sanctuary and dominion of the forest elves.

But make no mistake.

These weren’t just reclusive elves hiding away in a quiet, untouched paradise.

They were powerful. Incredibly so.

And at their head, stood a King.

A King who wasn’t just royalty in name, but a warrior of myth. A 9th Stage awakener, a Gaia Mystic. One of the highest, rarest realms attainable in the known world.

And this King? He was practically immortal.

A god, cloaked in mortal form.

That’s why the demons feared them. Why they avoided crossing into Yunatea unless absolutely necessary. Because as long as the King of Vensalor stood, the skies weren’t theirs to claim.

Granted, he wasn’t the only Gaia Mystic in existence.

But what made the Vensalor Kingdom truly fearsome wasn’t just the King.

It was the World Tree.

A sacred, ancient force rooted in the very heart of the floating island. A primal entity that shaped and sustained the balance of Yunatea itself.

It was the source of blessing. Of power. Of balance.

And to the forest elves, it was everything.

Those chosen by the World Tree didn’t just grow stronger. They transcended.

Their strength was often considered a full stage higher than their actual awakener level, thanks to the Tree’s influence. An elf in the 6th Stage might move, fight, and command as if they were in the 7th.

And the King?

Already a Gaia Mystic...

With the World Tree’s blessing, he was effectively a Gaia Transcendent.

A being whose very presence defied logic.

A deity, living among mortals.

And that was no exaggeration. It was a title the world spoke with reverence.

Only... Even in the war that loomed ahead. Even with all his power.

The King of Vensalor falls.

And with his death... the balance of Yunatea shatters.

That moment becomes the true turning point. The tipping of the scale. The one event that spirals the entire world into chaos. The fall of the Floating Island isn’t just symbolic. It’s catastrophic. A divine citadel crashing into ruin.

Tave walked in silence, thoughts heavy, grinding against each other like blades. His mind traced over every plot thread, every sequence he remembered from the original story.

If he wanted to change this world’s fate. If he wanted to break the loop.

Then ensuring the Vensalor Kingdom survived the demon onslaught... Was the most logical move he could make.

It was the strongest card on the board. The last divine stronghold.

But...

Should he do it?

And even if he chose to intervene. Could he really stop what was coming?