Novel Full Chapter 497 - Taming the Purification
Chapter 497: Chapter 497 – Taming the Purification
Ren was completely fascinated with his new elemental powers, experimenting with different manifestations like the true child discovering new toys he was.
Making small pebbles or sparks had been all he could create before obtaining the latest increases in his elemental control.
Now, he could control or form large blocks of earth, create flames that danced between his fingers, manipulate strong water currents, and generate wind gusts that could move objects with considerable force.
“This is incredible,” he murmured, creating a small stone figure that began fighting with another one made of wood.
His elemental attacks would be useful since they now operated at the level of a Bronze 1 Tamer with a specialized Tier 3 beast… but in any element he chose to use.
It was still something with little power compared to his fused strength multiplier, and more so outside the elements enhanced by light and earth synergies, but at times it could be useful as it granted him a versatility that few tamers could match even at higher ranks.
The demonstration was both playful and profound. Each element responded differently, yet he was manipulating them all simultaneously.
Zhao also watched with pride while Wei took mental notes about the unusual manifestations.
But the fun ended abruptly when an urgent message arrived for Selphira.
A royal messenger entered running to the area where Ren was experimenting, his grave expression contrasting with the playful atmosphere that had prevailed moments before.
“They’re bringing people from Kharzan’s army,” he reported. “They say they’re those who were contaminated with corruption without consent… Additionally, there are two people who seem to come from the Central Academy in the same conditions.”
The air in the room immediately became more tense.
“At least that’s their claim,” the messenger continued, his tone suggesting skepticism about the claims.
Selphira immediately straightened.
“I’ll go check that,” she declared. “There could be Yino infiltrators mixed with the real victims.”
Larissa immediately took charge of organizing the others to help the response.
“We’ll go too, our mana eyes will help make an initial filter for lies,” she decided, pointing to Ren and her cousins, whose special capabilities could detect deception through magical means. “Right, friends?”
Selphira was about to tell them it was dangerous, but…
“With the teachers’ help as bodyguards,” Larissa continued, “we’ll all go together to support, and with Lady Selphira nearby we’ll be very safe.”
It was a sensible plan that balanced caution with the need for thorough investigation. Yang, Wei, Zhao and Lin immediately positioned themselves as protection.
♢♢♢♢
On the way to where the supposed contaminated had gathered, Ren approached Selphira with a question that had been troubling him.
“What will we do with the contaminated who really didn’t want to be?” he asked, his voice carrying genuine concern for any innocent victims.
Selphira considered the question while they walked.
“Observe them and look for a cure,” she initially responded.
Then she turned toward him with sudden realization.
“Do you know it?” she asked directly. “Can that light that saved Klein save all the contaminated?”
Ren considered the question for a moment, consulting with his main beast and his previous experience.
“No… many would die,” he responded honestly. “If the person has a beast integrated with corruption, then the light disintegrates the person along with the corruption. It’s too late to separate them safely.”
His expression became more serious as he explained the limitations.
“But if the corruption hasn’t completely integrated, if they haven’t fused with corrupt beasts yet, then yes. The light can purify them without permanent damage.”
The distinction was crucial and heartbreaking. Those who had been forced into deeper corruption, regardless if to fight or save their lives, had unknowingly sealed their fate.
Selphira nodded, understanding the distinction and its implications for treatment.
“In that case,” she decided, “purify them when we identify the real victims.”
“I can’t purify many at once,” Ren warned her. “The process requires concentration and considerable energy…”
He paused for a moment and pointed to Selphira.
“But you and the other adults with some of the purified cardinal beasts can help too.”
“We can already purify too, is it like that?” Selphira asked, remembering when Ren’s beast did something with their energies.
“Exactly,” Ren confirmed.
♢♢♢♢
They arrived at the rows of people gathered in one of the castle courtyards.
Hundreds of people, some clearly soldiers from Kharzan’s forces, others civilians from the territory, all showing various degrees of corruption symptoms. Some new ones had a telltale purplish mana shade, others showed behavioral changes, and some seemed relatively normal.
“We’ll begin with simultaneous interrogation and purification,” Selphira decided, organizing the group. “Use your mana eyes each time, Ren can purify directly, you bring me those who can be purified,” she said, addressing the girls in the second part.
The initial process was effective. Most of the people genuinely appeared to be victims of involuntary corruption, their stories consistent and mostly truthful… with just the occasional exaggeration to save face.
Ren applied purifying light to those who could be saved, while only sending back to the mines the few who already had corrupt beasts.
The results were encouraging. The vast majority were telling the truth, and the purified people showed immediate improvement, their corruption disappearing completely.
“This is working better than expected,” Yang observed, watching the systematic purification.
Everything was going well until one of the supposedly “corrupted without their consent” individuals suddenly lunged toward Liora with a high-speed attack.
“Infiltrator!” Liora shouted, her enhanced perception detecting the hostile intent milliseconds before the attack.
His eyes no longer showed confusion but calculated, cold malice.
“Liora!” Luna screamed.
Selphira moved like lightning. Her Black Turtle fused with her instantly and a pressurized water spear pierced the attacker’s chest before he could even touch a hair on Liora’s head. The body collapsed immediately, but no blood flowed; the impact site began to disintegrate on contact with the pure white water.
“Infiltrator eliminated,” Selphira murmured, but her eyes were already scanning the rest of the group.
That had been exactly the moment the others were waiting for.
The coordinated ambush unleashed like a storm.
Twenty more figures abandoned their performances as helpless victims and launched simultaneously from different directions. Their transformations were horrible to witness, limbs that elongated unnaturally, teeth that became fangs, multiple eyes that glowed with purple light.
Yang blocked one’s claws, the impact creating sparks as it clashed against bone hardened by corruption. The teacher immediately counterattacked, spinning to strike the attacker’s ribs with a sound of breaking bones.
The girls reacted with the speed of those who had reached an acceptable level of power as doubles.
Luna jumped backward to gain distance, but didn’t flee. Instead, she summoned her wolf, the creature materializing from an attacker’s shadow and tearing off his leg.
Liora, still annoyed at being suddenly attacked, channeled her fury. Her fire magic created a barrier that stopped the attacker and then curved to embrace him.
One of the infiltrators summoned a beast that headed toward Ren.
The corrupt creature was larger and stronger than the others; it was the group’s leader. Its arms were living weapons, with bone spikes protruding from its knuckles and elbows. It launched toward Ren with speed that would have been lethal for any child his age.
Ren didn’t retreat.
Instead, he extended a hand toward the ground. The earth responded immediately, but he didn’t use a simple defensive wall. The ground beneath the tamer became quicksand that sank him to his knees, then instantly solidified, creating a rock prison that held him immobile.
But the beast…
“Leave the beast to me,” Lin murmured, appearing beside Ren.
Her legs glowed with concentrated red light until they became something extremely hard. The kick sent the beast that was already almost on top of Ren 20 meters into the sky before it dispersed into mana particles.
Ren launched a powerful short burst of light that also eliminated the beast’s owner.
“Teamwork,” Ren smiled, fist-bumping with Lin while the last infiltrators fell to the efforts of the girls, the teachers, and mainly Selphira’s ice attacks.