[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-advent-of-the-three-calamities":3,"chapter-advent-of-the-three-calamities-advent-of-the-three-calamities-chapter-25":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Advent of the Three Calamities",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},758660,1005,"Chapter 25: The one the world rejects [3]","advent-of-the-three-calamities-chapter-25",25,"\u003Cp>With my vision obscured by the darkness, all I could perceive were sounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rustle—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of the bushes moving past me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Haaa... Haaa...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of my breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crunch... Crunch...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crunching sound of my feet stepping on the foliage beneath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How long had I been running for...?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had lost track by now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>.....I had been running so much that my legs were starting to feel heavy and my lungs were on fire. Questions such as, 'Did I run far enough? Am I safe? Can I stop?' repeatedly flooded my mind as I continued to move forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My mind wavered in such moments\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Will the ending be the same as in the vision...? Am I destined to die?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Haaa...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took a deep breath and stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn't scared of death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Death was something I had already experienced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was nothing scary about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anything, it felt liberating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not this way.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn't how I wanted to die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just that... Just because I wasn't scared of death didn't mean that I looked forward to death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were things that I wanted to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Achieve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A person that I wanted to meet again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn't let myself die like that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it was with such thoughts that I sat down on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Running was no longer an option for me. It became quite clear to me after running for the past hour. All it did was waste my stamina.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, it perhaps bought me some time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For what exactly? Delay my death? Reinforcements...?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What reinforcements?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no point in uselessly clinging to some hope that was perhaps never going to come. The only person I could rely on at the moment was myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To get out of here alive...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had no one else but myself to rely on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hoooo...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took a deep breath and extended my hand forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A familiar warmth coursed down from my abdominal area as a magic circle started to form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'.....Please work.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was my only hope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where am I.....?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leon looked around him and frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He appeared to be around a dense forest. Where exactly... he wasn't sure. He had no time to make sure. Looking around, he called out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Young Master?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he received no response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leon's expression turned grim at the thought. It wasn't that he was worried about Julien. He was unsure of the depth of his strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was he stronger or weaker than him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>.....Leon wasn't exactly sure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he had no time to ponder over this matter any longer. Sensing something, his expression changed and he lightly stomped his foot on the ground, pushing himself back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BANG—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as his body moved, the spot which he had been standing on just moments prior, exploded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pieces of debris flew in the air as a cloud of dust rose in the air, masking Leon's sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tsk.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A rough voice echoed shortly after.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the cloud cleared, a hulking figure draped in a large black hood emerged, casually holding an axe over their shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...You're a lot more slippery than I thought.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He began to say, the air trembling at the tone of his voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leon's eyes narrowed as he slowly unsheathed the sword from his hips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>SHIIIIIING—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked around before saying,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where is this? And who are you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rather than answering, the hooded figure massaged its chin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I was told you were different. As expected... You really are different. I didn't think you'd be this composed in this situation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"....\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leon remained silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was carefully scoping out his surroundings. Areas where he could escape in case he couldn't handle his opponent, advantages he could use, and so on...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing escaped his sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I see what you're trying to do.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Almost faintly, Leon caught what appeared to be a smile under the hood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Commendable. Observing your surroundings to increase your advantages. Finding escape points in case you're at a disadvantage... I can see what you're trying to do. But...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BANG—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stomping his foot on the ground, the hooded figure disappeared from his spot, reappearing right in front of Leon in less than a second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Axe held with both hands, he whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just like the other guy... There's no escape for the two of you...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swooosh—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he swung down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How long has it been...?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One hour? Two hours? Three hours? A day?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had lost track of time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn't moved the entire time and kept my focus entirely on the magic circle in front of me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One rune.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two runes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three runes...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eight runes...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nine runes...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten runes...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eleven runes...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tzzzz—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Kh...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I still...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Couldn't...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Make...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Progress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after all this time!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After doing everything that I possibly could...!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shit... Why?! Why...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was I just being too hasty? Was that it...?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'From what I was told, simply learning to be able to use a spell shouldn't take more than a few hours...'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So long as one was adept at it, they could learn it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was what I had learned in the two weeks I had been in this world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So...?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tzzzz—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was it that I still couldn't learn it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did I need more time?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I didn't have time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the only thing I could do. My other power couldn't be used to fight the person in the vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was nothing else I could do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was my only option.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"H-haaa...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My breath betrayed my exasperation as I blankly stared at the night sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this my limit...?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, if I only had more time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then... Then...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Kh...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I quietly called out for my status screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A large window appeared in my vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>﹂ Type : Elemental [Curse]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was it that I was able to grasp Emotive Magic so easily, and yet struggled to understand this magic?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it because of my ability?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...Or was it because I wasn't truly capable of understanding this magic?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet again, I was reminded of one fact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn't belong to the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Right... I'm just an existence that casually entered this place.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason why I was struggling so much...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why it was so hard for me to learn...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had nothing to do with talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was simply, not meant to have learned it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This world...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smiled bitterly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...It's rejecting me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Haha.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a laughable thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the world was rejecting me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had no choice but to continue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Again.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stared at my hand and channeled the mana from my abdomen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A familiar warmth flooded my body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One rune...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two runes...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three runes...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five runes...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tzzzz—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tasted failure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And over again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drip... Drip...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood continuously dripped down from my nose as my eyes grew blurry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was getting tired.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tired of the meaningless practice that held no progress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had stopped at eleven runes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was just one rune that I was missing before the magic circle would complete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tzzzz—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That step seemed an impossible one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It slowly started to sink in my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'....This is meaningless.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Right...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tzzzz—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why waste time...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tzzzz—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Practicing something...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tzzzz—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"....That wields no progress?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I finally lowered my hand and closed my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My mana reserves were almost empty and exhaustion had taken over my body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In the end... I was just meaninglessly struggling.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chasing after something I wasn't meant to achieve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I had more time then...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I'd have pursued things differently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I had run out of time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cough...! Cough...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My hands stained with my blood as a familiar fire raged up in my lungs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It became even clearer to me that my time was up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as if to further confirm this, the nearby greenery rustled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rustle—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hooded figure emerged from behind the bushes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So that's where you were. You really made it hard for me to find you. Thankfully, I was able to track you through your scent, or I really would've never been able to find you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His poise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were all similar to the one in the vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, he stopped and stared at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Uh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A surprised sound escaped his lips as he stared at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Would you look at that? I knew you were weak from your mana signature, but I didn't think you'd be this weak—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"....Is that so?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With what little energy I had left, my voice layered and I forced myself up, dashing away from the area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hoho? Was that your emotive magic?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hooded's figure calm voice echoed from behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not bad... Not bad at all. My chest almost stung. Really... What an interesting power. It's a good thing I came prepared.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rustle—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I ran through the forest, feeling the rough branches scrape against my skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The underbrush clawed at my legs, leaving stinging cuts all over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I paid them no mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One Rune...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two Runes...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I ran, I made sure to focus my attention on my hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The runes were slowly piling up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tzzzz—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even in such a situation, failure seemed inevitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gritted my teeth and continued running.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The situation seemed hopeless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My Emotive Magic seemed to not affect him. I couldn't comprehend the other magic, and I was on my last breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Haaa... Haaa...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At some point, my leg wobbled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crash...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And I fell face-first against the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ukh...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I scraped the ground in an attempt to help myself up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn't get up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sweat poured down from the side of my face as my chest burned with even greater intensity than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My lungs were on fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"....Already tired?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hooded man appeared behind me, seemingly confused by my situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just barely, I managed to turn my body to face him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I thought you'd struggle more, Black Star. I did. In the end, the rumors about you were exaggerated. You—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At some point, his voice had drowned out from my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My eyes wandered over my right forearm where a four-clover tattoo appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was still something...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had been saving it up for this moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was my last hope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I extended my hand and pressed on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had no choice but to rely on this ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would the results really change...?\u003C\u002Fp>",1728,"2026-06-02T12:40:55.797Z",1,"novelbin.me","2cfb1b5a81066fe9c4944299ebcb8d81c6b004293c3de8306429db37a5a6c5fb","advent-of-the-three-calamities-chapter-26","advent-of-the-three-calamities-chapter-24",876,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fadvent-of-the-three-calamities-cover.jpg"]