Chapter 111: Finding A Way
The system's angered yet melancholic voice rang out before quieting down, but Nolan's head buzzed from the words.
Truly, he had gone through literal hell to become who he was now.
He had faced the almost insurmountable God King Trial, endured endless bullying and rejection for three years straight, and spent his entire previous lifetime slaving away.
Yet not one of these challenges had been able to claim his life or will.
He had succeeded in overcoming every one of them.
So, right now, what stopped him from turning his current issue into something that would only build him up even more?
Why not turn it into an advantageous situation for himself?
Why wouldn't he be able to rise above this problem, just like how he had always done.
"I can find a way. I can always find a way..." Nolan mused to himself as he rose to his feet, a milky white light appearing in his grasp.
"But I'm weak. Brute strength alone won't allow me to win. I have to find another way..." Nolan murmured to himself.
Now, he was willing to face his problems head-on.
There was just a minor issue: how exactly was he supposed to do that?
[You still have some level-up cards...] the system butted in as Nolan's eyebrows furrowed.
"They won't be enough..." He knew well that he had about four or so level-up cards, but he was also aware that those alone wouldn't be enough, not even if he put all the acquired attribute points into strength.
They still wouldn't be enough for him to defeat Draugr.
And defeating Draugr was the only way he could get out of this mess he was in.
[Your only saving grace is your level-up cards. Without them, I'm afraid there will be no other way...]
The system's conceading voice rang in his head.
"What is the price for not defeating Draugr?" Nolan suddenly asked the system.
[Your sure death,] the system replied, and Nolan's gaze flashed before he turned to look into the distant palace where he knew Draugr was.
Then, he turned once more in the opposite direction and immediately took a single step forth, shooting forward with speed into the distance.
"If death is the price for failing, might as well die while trying to overcome failure..."
Nolan mused to himself as he rapidly flashed forward with speed into the distance.
The direction was none other than the...
__________
An hour later, bubbles escaped Nolan's lips as he finally arrived before the gigantic
mountain.
[What the hell are you planning? Don't tell me...] the system called in surprise, but Nolan cut it off.
"Yes, that's what I planned."
"If I'm going to die anyway, I might as well go out with the loudest bang possible and be remembered for being the one to set chaos upon all the realms!"
"Or I will reign over the Anti-Aether and be its first controller, using it to defeat Draugr."
"Whatever the choice is, I'm satisfied with it..." Nolan said as he finally finished replicating the touches on the mountain wall, and once more, it opened up before him.
Nolan swiftly entered into it, disappearing into the darkness, and the mountain once more shut itself close.
__________
A loud inhale rang through the room as Nolan's head burst out of the water, and his eyes looked around him, finding the hall to be gravely silent.
Slowly, he climbed out of the water, his body dripping with cold water.
'Did she leave?' He thought when something appeared at the corner of his eyes, and shock settled all over his face.
Right now, on the ground, very close to the distance, there was a red outline on the ground that dragged into somewhere.
A red outline that couldn't be anything save for blood.
And from the smell of the blood, Nolan could almost identify the scent of a familiar figure.
Instantly, his heart thumped as he hurriedly followed after the blood trail, finding himself before a door which he instantly kicked open.
He took a sharp gasp when he looked on the floor of the room, finding blood splattered all over.
Faintly, he could hear the sound of tired exhaling and instantly walked to the side of the bed, where a small pool of deep red water and blood lay.
Immediately, Nolan jumped into the red water, and the depth of it couldn't almost be seen.
Still, he could barely make out the blue fish tail that was disappearing into the dark of the depth, and quickly he swarmed towards it with incredible speed, closing in on the figure of the mermaid.
She was Lorelei!
He quickly picked her up in his arms before soaring back upwards.
Ahhhh
A loud inhale tore through the small room as Nolan burst out of the water and raised the body of Lorelei into the air.
Right now, she was unconscious, and her body temperature was incredibly cold.
So much so that he felt a faint shiver going through his body at the slightest touch of her skin.
Quickly, he brought her to land, walking towards the side of the room where he got a thick cloth to cover her nakedness with.
Finally, he took a good look at the side of her neck where blood was currently gushing out.
[She tried to kill herself?] the system asked in shock, with Nolan grinding his teeth.
[She's still alive though, barely. She can still be saved...] The system said as Nolan's eyes flashed.
"How do I save her?"
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[Now that she is dying, the Anti-Aether in her would try and speed up her death and then disperse into thin air.]
[This is also the best time to grab hold of the Anti-Aether if you really want it.]
[You have to stop what is speeding up her death, which means you will have to absorb the Anti-Aether energy from her body.]
[Then you can heal her body and neck by
passing your Divine Essence into her.]
[It should help her at least live for another day...] the system said to Nolan, who immediately got to work.
But still, there were a lot more things to be considered.