[{"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-79":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},758564,1005,"Chapter 79 For growth [2]","advent-of-the-three-calamities-chapter-79",79,"\u003Cp>Despite having just ranked up, I wasn't satisfied with my current rate of progression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment I reached Tier 2, I noticed that the rate of growth had started to stagnate. If I were to put all of my focus like before on the manual, I'd only be able to gain 3-4% a day. A vast difference from the 8-9% I used to receive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made sense in a way, but the progress was too slow for me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it was for this reason that I thought about asking Delilah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Out of all the people I knew, she was the one person I thought would have an answer to my problems. She was the strongest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surely, she knew of a way, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was for this reason that I invested a lot of my money in the chocolate bars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Come, you are tempted, aren't you?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"....You want a way to get stronger, faster?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her tone betrayed her confusion as her head tilted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My current rate of progress is too slow.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Slow?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She closed her eyes briefly. I lost control of my body the moment she did. It was as if I was floating in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The feeling was only fleeting, disappearing just as fast as it appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wh-\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You've reached Tier 2.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice cut through mine as her eyes opened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you not satisfied with your progress? It's in line with most of the more talented cadets.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It'd be a lie if I said I was. While it was indeed fast, when I compared myself with the top cadets of the Academy, I was hardly scraping by.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn't sustain the unreasonable training schedule that I was currently putting myself through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gap between me and the others was getting wider and wider.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If things were to progress at this rate, then I was sure I'd soon lose everything that I had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed more...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"....\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Delilah didn't say anything and just stared at me. She seemed to be in deep thought as her brows slightly furrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I waited patiently for her to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was the only one I could think of for a solution. The other professors would just tell me to train harder or buy a better manual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They also gave me a list of several exercises that I needed to follow which I did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was still not enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\".....You seem rather desperate for growth.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The silence that gripped the room was broken by Delilah's words as she addressed me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took note of her expression before pursing my lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Desperate?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wanted to laugh. I had long gone past the point of desperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"....\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn't answer, but it was as if she could read my expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gradually, her eyes shifted towards my right arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Does it perhaps have to do with what I told you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"....\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet again, I didn't answer. It wasn't as though I didn't want to answer, but I just didn't think it was wise just yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>....I didn't want my biggest secret to be revealed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That I wasn't Julien, but someone else who had taken over his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a secret that only one person knew, and I planned on nobody ever finding out. It was a dangerous secret. One that I couldn't risk anyone finding out about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I were to agree, then there was likely a chance that I might be forced to reveal that I wasn't Julien.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'It also seems like she can tell if I lie or not.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For these reasons, I remained hesitant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought she'd disagree due to my silence, but to my surprise, she ended up nodding her head and agreeing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"....You will?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Meet me tomorrow at 10 P.M. near the forest at the entrance of the Academy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Delilah provided me with a date and time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before I had the chance to feel happy, she added.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I won't be doing this for free. I need a favor for you. You're free to agree or not. I won't force you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A favor?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swallowed to myself before carefully asking,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What's the favor?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's nothing big, but before that...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Delilah extended her hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tilted my head in confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did she want?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following her line of sight, I had a sudden realization and I felt my lips twitch. Reaching out for my pocket, I asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How many?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"All of it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"....\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clank—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the door to her office close, Delilah stared at the pile of bars in front of her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"....He.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A weird sound escaped her lips as her mouth trembled. Hastily covering her mouth, she looked around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Heh...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her shoulders trembled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This went on for several seconds before she took a deep breath and calmed herself down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trying her best to not look at the 'goods' in front of her, she leaned back on her chair. Her thoughts drifted back to Julien.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Greedy'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such were her thoughts at first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That he was being greedy. His rate of progression was staggering. She could tell from a quick scan of his body that it hadn't come easy. There were traces of exhaustion all over him, and a lot of his muscle fibers were torn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Were he to continue this way, he was inevitably going to die of exhaustion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was for this reason that she decided to help him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Perhaps, rather than greed, he's being chased by something...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something that he couldn't run away from.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Inverted Sky.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What if...? He had truly defected from them? Thinking about all the incidents he had been in, it really did seem like something was wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In all the incidents that he was involved, the organization appeared to have suffered some sort of loss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All besides one...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Prison Incident.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the only incident where the Inverted Sky managed to succeed. It was for that reason that she ended up visiting him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wanted to confirm some things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he was truly a hard man to read.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A blank piece of paper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>....Or at least, that was what she thought until just a few moments ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time, she saw something from him. The desperation he had for growth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was he so desperate?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Delilah was curious. There was clearly something that he didn't want to say. She didn't push for an answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn't think he'd be that naive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her answers would come with time. Of that she was sure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And for that reason, she agreed to help him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"....I feel like I made a loss.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The favor she asked of him wasn't anything big. She had only asked him to make it seem as though she wasn't doing this for free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had her own selfish agenda to fill by helping him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's only fair.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Delilah leaned back on her chair and blankly stared at the ceiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her thoughts were broken by a sudden knocking sound and her body shot up from the chair and she lunged towards her desk where the piles of bars were.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To Tok—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Chancellor?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A woman walked in shortly after.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only for her steps to stop at the sight that greeted her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blinking twice, Jasmine, the Vice-Chancellor of the Academy, stared at the scene before her with some doubt. She had come here to report on the current situation of the festival\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gazing at Delilah who was hunched over her desk with a towering stack of bars before her, she questioned the current view before her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An illusion?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jasmine blinked once only for her to see the same scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pursing her lips, she quietly asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Should I come back?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the training fields outside the lecture hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Today's class will be a bit different than usual. Each of you will be secretly assigned a cadet's name and during class, your job will be to closely examine their weaknesses and strengths.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Professor in charge of today's class was a tall and bulky man with a bald head. If there was one class that I looked forward to the least then it was probably this one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Physical training and For execution]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a class that was mainly dedicated to those who were adept in the [Body] classification. However, just because it tended towards those who were more adept in the [Body] classification, it didn't mean that it wouldn't be useful for the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone was capable of practicing the three paths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those with talents were just capable of learning it faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Please pay attention.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Professor's loud voice rumbled throughout the training area as he pointed towards a small hat that rested on the ground next to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you look over to this hat over here, you'll find the names of all your classmates. I want you to line up in an orderly line to collect the name of the cadet you will be in charge of analyzing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A long and orderly line started to form while the Professor continued to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I silently moved towards the line and overhead a few cadets speaking. Mainly Josephine and the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hm~ I wonder who I will get? Heh. If I get that bitch, I'll make sure to give her a low score.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bitch?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aoife tilted her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who else? Kiera of course.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She nodded as if she understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I can hear you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too bad Kiera heard it all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hiii!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I ignored them and continued to pay attention to the Professor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Remember. This is an anonymous task. The other party mustn't find who you are. If I receive any indication that you've disclosed this information or they've discovered your identity, you will fail the task immediately and forfeit a credit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The banter and noise that surrounded the place ceased. All of a sudden, everyone's expression turned grim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To lose a credit over such a task...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's enough of me. Pick a name and we can start with the task.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an orderly manner, one cadet after another moved up to the hate near the professor and picked up a card. The moment the cadets looked at the cards, most of them showed a change in expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some were happy while others showed looks of despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn't blame them. Some cadets were simply better than others, and it was therefore hard to understand what they were doing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I quietly lined up from behind and waited for my turn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn't take long and the moment I arrived by the hat, I reached out with my hand and picked up a card.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"....\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My expression didn't change the moment that I picked the card.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the same couldn't be said about how I felt internally. Without looking back, I put the card in my pocket and left for the training area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the distance, I caught a glimpse of a figure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stood at the center with his sword already drawn. He began to execute a move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His movements appeared fluid, almost as if there was no lag in them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>....My steps paused as I stared at the distant figure who appeared to have attracted the attention of all the nearby cadets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Leon Ellert.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why did it have to be him of all people?\u003C\u002Fp>",1874,"2026-06-02T12:40:56.142Z",1,"novelbin.me","9672851b122c297fc238ee141b77d95c221d0eaaeb96e8233f8dbfc6214d2163","advent-of-the-three-calamities-chapter-80","advent-of-the-three-calamities-chapter-78",876,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fadvent-of-the-three-calamities-cover.jpg"]