Timeless Assassin

(A couple hours later, The Central Jail-House, Second Floor Basement)

The sharp taste of health restoration potion still clung to Leo's mouth as he lowered the last vial, feeling the mixture work through his body, as it eased the strain in his muscles and steadied his breath.

The worst of the burning in his core pathways was already fading, leaving behind only a dull ache that he could ignore.

Once his composure returned, he glanced toward the Second Elder, who had been monitoring his recovery closely, as if waiting for the exact moment to officially start his training.

"Good, you seem like you're ready to start." He said, as he nodded in satisfaction at his recovery.

"The technique I am about to teach you today is called the [Life Absorption] technique, and it is arguably the most powerful ability in the Cult's arsenal," the Second Elder began, placing his left hand firmly around his right forearm before flexing the fingers of his right hand open.

"This move does exactly what its name implies… it draws the life force out of those who are already close to death, or those who are certain to reach death's door within moments, and transfers it into you" he explained, his tone calm, which contrasted with the weight of his words.

Leo's brow furrowed slightly, a faint confusion flickering across his face.

"Confused? Let me put it another way," the Second Elder continued, shifting his explanation. "You cannot use this technique on people who are healthy and unharmed. If you were to try it on me right now, it would fail entirely, and you would not take so much as a flicker of my life essence.

However, if you were to attempt it on an old man coughing out his last breaths, there is a high probability you would succeed.

So when I say 'those near the gates of death,' I mean people who are almost certain to die within the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours, whether you intervene or not. Which makes up the first case."

He paused only briefly before moving on.

"The second case applies to individuals who are already mortally wounded. For example, a decapitated foe or one whose body has been cleaved in half.

You might think death is instantaneous in such cases, but it is not.

There is often an eight to twenty second window where, despite their injuries, they are still considered alive, and if you use the technique during that narrow span, your success in stealing their life essence is guaranteed," the Second Elder explained, as Leo nodded in understanding.

"The life essence you absorb is one of the most miraculous forces in the universe," the Second Elder said, his tone shifting into one of barely restrained excitement.

"Absorb it into your bones and muscles, and your body will harden, your constitution becoming tougher than steel.

Draw it into your mana channels, and they will widen and strengthen, allowing greater flows without strain.

Feed it to your brain, and your thoughts will sharpen, your mental capacity expanding far beyond its natural limits.

Meditate while channeling it, and you will find your progress accelerating at a rate most would call impossible."

Leo's eyes widened, the disbelief written plainly across his face.

Could such a miraculous force truly exist?

Yet, as he looked at the Second Elder, whose expression was almost alight with childlike excitement, he knew there was no lie in those words.

"However," the elder continued, his voice taking on a heavier weight, "every great power comes with its own price, and this one is no exception. Whatever you choose to enhance with the essence of life will become dependent on it for future growth.

Without it, improving that same aspect will be ten times harder than before.

So if you use it to strengthen your body, the results will be immediate and extraordinary, but from that moment on, all training aimed at physical growth will yield only one tenth of the results, unless you continue to rely on absorbing life essence.

That is why one must choose carefully.

This is why, despite being miraculous, this technique is a double-edged sword."

Leo's earlier awe became immediately replaced by caution, as he was reminded that there were no free meals in the universe.

When something sounded too good to be true… it almost always was.

'So it's a desperation skill, huh? I suppose one must only use it to break through bottlenecks.' Leo thought, as he remained eerily silent.

The temptation was obvious… The technique offered power at a pace that defied reason, giving weak and untalented warriors a means to leap past years of grinding effort in the space of a single breath, yet the price was equally absolute in the form of a slow poisoning that would damage his own potential if they leaned on it too often.

'This is not a good trade…No matter how I look at it.'

Leo thought, as he could almost picture himself years from now, standing at the breakthrough point of a higher tier, only to realize he couldn't do it without absorbing the life essence of thousands to help him.

"You must understand, Leo, there is no undoing it once the choice is made.

This is not a tool for ambition, it is a lifeline for desperation. You should only turn to it when you find yourself before a wall that cannot be broken by any natural means, or when every path forward is closed, and the only remaining option is to carve a new one with this technique.

Anything less, and you will waste your future for the sake of the present."

The second elder warned, his voice serious.

"A warrior's foundation is forged through effort and endurance. Strip that away, and you are left with something fragile, no matter how strong it appears at the moment.

Do not become addicted to ease, or one day you will find yourself unable to fight without it."

Leo inhaled slowly, the cool air of the basement catching in his chest as he looked back at the elder, pure rage filling his eyes.

"Did you warn Veyr of the drawbacks of this technique? Or did you misguide him into absorbing life essence to grow stronger, and compromise his foundation as a result?" Leo asked angrily, as the Second Elder shrugged his shoulders in response.

"I told him the same words I am telling you today.

I swear.

Everything from that point onwards was Veyr's own decision," the Second Elder clarified, as Leo found himself turning speechless.

If this technique was really as dangerous as the second elder described, then Veyr had no business absorbing it while only being a Grandmaster, as it could seriously hinder his future growth now.

"If you don't mind telling me….. what did Veyr use his life essence to help him for?" Leo asked, as the Second Elder shook his head in disappointment.

"The Dragon used the essence of life to improve his mind and body.

This means that going forward he must rely on wars and killing righteous faction opponents to keep growing stronger.

As without it, it will be substantially more difficult for him to reach the peak of the Transcendent Tier and breakthrough to becoming a Monarch." The Second Elder said, as Leo scoffed in disbelief.

It seemed like the Elders Council had done it again...

It seemed like once more, they had killed the potential of the Cult's Dragon.