Chapter 412 - 396: [Nameless Breathing Technique] Full Level

Chapter 412: Chapter 396: [Nameless Breathing Technique] Full Level

’So this is...’

’The Star Realm?’

Gazing out the porthole at the flowing silver Void, Roland was filled with an indescribable sense of awe.

Here, time seemed to have lost all meaning; he had no way of knowing how much had passed.

It could have been a fleeting moment, or perhaps ages had already passed.

During the seemingly eternal, silent voyage, the endless silver void ahead suddenly began to ripple.

The once-uniform chaos seemed to be stretched open from within by some invisible force, tearing a hole whose edges flickered with unstable Energy.

Before Roland could react, the Shell Ship was drawn toward the rift, sliding through it gently and swiftly.

A brief sensation of distortion washed over him, as if his entire existence was being gently stretched and then instantly snapped back into place.

He blinked instinctively. As his eyes adjusted to the sudden change in light, he realized he had left the absolute Void behind.

He looked down.

The familiar sight of Stone Furnace Castle, surrounded by mine tunnels and mountain ranges, lay nestled on the earth below.

They had left the Star Realm and returned to the material plane, now hovering directly above Stone Furnace Castle.

The Shell Ship landed smoothly in a clearing at the center of Stone Furnace Castle. Its pale hull stood in stark contrast to the surrounding rough-hewn Dwarf architecture.

"How does it feel, old friend?"

Duraga asked, releasing his grip on the central console and flexing his thick fingers.

"An indescribable experience."

Roland replied truthfully, his eyes instinctively glancing back at the sky, which had already returned to normal.

The ship’s entrance opened, and the moment Duraga set foot on the ground, he was swarmed by a group of Gray Dwarves who had been waiting for him.

They pounded their fists against their breastplates, creating a resounding clang. Their rough cheers were filled with excitement for their leader’s return and curiosity about the Shell Ship.

While Duraga was occupied with his clansmen, Roland quickly found his own companions in the crowd and briefly explained the plan ahead.

It was only then that Roland learned from Bronson that he had spent nearly half a year deep within the ley lines.

"Mr. Roland..."

Freddy said apologetically, his War Axe resting on his shoulder.

"While I was in the city, I heard some news about the movements of the Beastman Tribe. The situation doesn’t sound good, so I have to return to my tribe as soon as possible. I’m afraid I can’t accompany you to the lands of the Elves."

Hobbit, the Half-Elf, also scratched his head, his high-pitched voice tinged with resignation.

"Me too, Mr. Roland. My older brother has sent several carrier pigeons urging me to return. I have to meet up with him as soon as I can."

Roland looked at them, not blaming them in the slightest.

The two of them had already been a huge help on their journey, so he gave them a solemn nod.

"I understand. In that case, do you need..."

He turned and pointed at the Shell Ship.

"A ride to see you off?"

"Th-that won’t be necessary."

Hobbit’s gaze shifted to the Shell Ship, his eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity and fear.

"There’s a small port to the east. My older brother will meet me there."

"I don’t need one either, Mr. Roland."

Freddy scratched his head.

"It’s not too far from my tribe."

"In that case..."

Seeing that they weren’t just being polite, Roland reached out and gently patted their shoulders.

"Take care. I hope we can meet again someday."

"Until we meet again, Mr. Roland."

With that, the two returned to their rooms to grab their belongings. After another farewell, they turned and departed.

Roland sighed softly as he watched their figures recede into the distance.

In that moment, he suddenly understood the melancholy Duraga had shown aboard the Shell Ship.

Just then, Duraga broke away from the crowd of excited Gray Dwarves and strode up to Roland.

"We have the Shell Ship now. There’s nothing left for us here."

The Gray Dwarf leader said, wiping the dust from his face, his voice firm.

"I plan to set off at dawn tomorrow. What do you think?"

Roland nodded without hesitation.

"The sooner, the better."

Avril and Galvis were in grave danger. Any delay could have irreversible consequences.

The two briefly discussed the details of the next day’s departure.

Meanwhile, Bronson the scholar was circling the Shell Ship, his eyes glittering with a thirst for knowledge.

He cautiously approached Duraga, posing a series of questions about the ship’s structure and its Spiritual Energy propulsion system.

Out of respect for Roland, Duraga answered with uncharacteristic patience, even allowing the curious scholar to examine the patterns of neural bundles on the ship’s hull up close.

Once everything was arranged, Roland returned to his temporary quarters alone.

He had just pushed open the wooden door when a flash of emerald light came fluttering toward him.

"Roland! You’re finally back!"

Tress’s voice was sharp and bright, like a string of tinkling bells.

She flew a nervous circle around Roland.

"I felt the ground shake, and I heard the Gray Dwarves cheering... What happened?"

Before Roland could answer, a furry bundle on the headboard stirred.

Squirrel Qiao stretched languidly, his bright black eyes still hazy with sleep.

But the moment it saw Roland, it agilely leaped onto his shoulder.

"You were asleep for a long time, Qiao."

Roland said softly, his fingertips gently brushing through the squirrel’s warm fur.

"I think... I had a very long dream, Roland..."

Qiao’s voice was still raspy with sleep. It gently nudged Roland’s ear with its nose, its tone filled with a hint of confusion.

"The dream was full of strange lights and shadows..."

Just as Roland was about to ask why it had slept for so long, a steady breathing sound came from his shoulder.

The little fellow had fallen asleep again.

’Did it eat too much? Is that why it’s sleeping all the time?’

Roland shook his head with a resigned sigh, continuing to gently stroke the squirrel’s soft fur.

Just then, Tress landed on his other shoulder, her wings glowing faintly with excitement.

"Are we leaving tomorrow?"

"That’s right."

Roland answered, his fingertips still unconsciously stroking the rising and falling fur of the sleeping Qiao.

"We’re going to a place far away."

Tress immediately began to dance around him in the air, firing off a barrage of questions.

"Are we taking that big ship? Are we going to find Avril and Galvis? Are they in trouble?"

Roland patiently answered each question, briefly explaining the situation.

Once Tress had finally calmed down and landed on his lap, Roland gently placed the sleeping Qiao on a soft pillow and sat cross-legged on the bed.

He closed his eyes and regulated his breathing.

With each inhale and exhale, the clamor outside the window seemed to recede, as if blocked by an invisible barrier.

Soon, the only sound in the room was his own long, steady breath, and the world grew exceptionally peaceful.

In the quiet he had deliberately created, his mind began to sort through the information he had received during his brief communication with Galvis.

Besides the urgent news that his two companions were imprisoned, the Minstrel had also revealed a crucial piece of information.

Even though the Magic Elements had reawakened and now permeated the world, the Elf Race was still...

Unable to cast any Magic.

This anomaly was like a stone tossed into a still lake, sending ripples of doubt through Roland’s mind.

As he was lost in thought, familiar lines of golden text began to appear silently behind his closed eyelids.

[You have successfully practiced the Nameless Breathing Technique and gained 1 experience point.]

[You have successfully practiced the Nameless Breathing Technique...]

[You have successfully practiced...]

As his mind grew calmer, the rhythm of his breathing became longer, faster, and more profound.

An invisible shackle within his body felt as if it were being eroded, loosening with each repetition.

The notification prompts began to refresh faster and faster, eventually flowing like a rushing stream, on and on, until...in a single instant, all sense of flow came to an abrupt halt. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ

[Nameless Breathing Technique has reached Full Level]