Crimson rage

"I hope I'm not bothering you, considering you've just woken up," Julius remarked.

Ashen shook his head. "Not at all, except for a bit of stiffness. I think I can run a marathon."

Julius chuckled. "You won't even run ten meters before you crawl back to your bed, let alone a marathon. Even though I was able to treat your wounds, that doesn't mean you're ready to move. You need to rest for a while. The specific time period depends on the speed of your recovery," the doctor explained.

"Thanks for the reminder," Ashen replied, his tone slightly complaining.

Julius interjected, trying to ease the tension. "Well, Dr. Celine's advice should be taken into consideration. She's our best doctor, and I'm sure her advice is in your best interest."

Ashen nodded in acknowledgment and then turned his attention back to Julius. "Yeah, I know, I know. Anyway, Julius, can you tell me more about that knight who defeated me? I've never seen someone as skilled as him before, and I've encountered many formidable fighters. Even if my technique wasn't perfect during that fight, it doesn't explain my terrible defeat." Ashen questioned, seeking answers about his mysterious opponent.

"Well, I don't underestimate you or anything," Julius continued, "but if you want to seek revenge, I don't advise you to do so now or anytime soon. The man you faced is the Head of the Royal Guard, Edward Aegisborne. I'm not sure how much you know about royal family matters, but his family has been loyal to the royal family for generations. They've been guarding and ensuring their safety for hundreds of years. The techniques and skills they've developed are not accessible to the public, honed over centuries. The previous head of the family was Edward, and to attain such a position, you must be the best of the best. Something that exceeds hard work and normal talent. I believe Edward was one of the top 20 fighters in the world, but with the appearance of the cosmic system and the enhancements it gave, I believe he's now one of the top 3 fighters in the world."

Ashen absorbed Julius's assessment and couldn't help but ask, "So you think I don't have any chance to defeat him right now?"

Julius nodded. "No, I don't believe so. But as time passes, your chances will improve."

Perplexed, Ashen questioned further, "And why is that?"

Julius explained, "Because from the information I've gathered about the tower, and I assume you're aware of it too, you'll be able to purchase more advanced training methods and techniques, things that go far beyond human capabilities. No human legacy can compare to what's available in the tower."

Ashen was a bit surprised and asked, "Did you have members who entered the tower already?"

Julius nodded in affirmation. "Yes, we've already gained control over ten towers. We even have the third largest city, Luxoria, under our influence. The towers are distributed at approximately one tower per city, with the exception of some smaller cities that share one tower."

Ashen expressed his surprise, saying, "That's unexpectedly impressive." He was impressed by the accomplishments of the resistance army.

Ashen had previously thought of the resistance army as a relatively weak opposition party fighting against the rule of the royal family. He had expected them to have limited influence. However, he was taken aback by the extent of their reach across the empire.

Julius then added a sobering perspective, "Well, it might seem good, but it's not enough. We've only managed to gain control of the third, fifth, and seventh largest cities among the top ten. The other seven cities fall between the top 11 to 20. The remaining cities are all under the control of the royal family, and it will be incredibly challenging to challenge their rule over the empire once we lose the element of surprise.

Our best hope is to concentrate all our efforts on securing the capital. If we lose it, it may become near impossible to ever overthrow their rule again."

Ashen inquired, "And what are you doing to secure it?"

Julius explained, "As you've seen, it appears that the royal family is not taking this lightly and has dispatched its strongest warrior, the Head of the Royal Guard, to secure the capital. Unfortunately, I don't believe we can stop him in a one-on-one fight. However, wars are not decided by the strength of a single individual. Nevertheless, it's still a significant threat looming over us. So, I'd like to make you an offer."

Curious, Ashen asked, "And what is this offer?" He had a general idea of what it might entail.

Julius made his proposal, "I want you to join the resistance. Don't reject it hastily. Let me show you what we can offer someone with your talent."

With a simple gesture, Julius's ring shone, and a contract, similar to the one Ashen had previously seen with Zenithar but far less ancient, appeared.

Ashen wasn't surprised by this move, as he had already read about it. It was something that could be achieved by relying on the storage ring, a ring with a spatial space in it. Ashen surmised that this was likely the cheapest version with just one cubic meter of space, and it cost 1000 tower points.

While Ashen remained composed, the twins, on the other hand, were visibly surprised. Emma managed to hold back some of her curiosity and astonishment, but Ethan openly stared at Julius with a mix of amusement and astonishment in his eyes.

Ashen received the contract from Julius and began reading it. It didn't take him long to go through it, and he observed two key aspects.

First, he noticed the similarity between this contract and the one Zenithar had given him. Just like Zenithar's contract, Julius's version appeared to be without any glaring loopholes, so the main difference was likely its ability to impose restrictions.

The second notable aspect was the remarkable generosity of the resistance army. The imposed restrictions were not overly burdensome for Ashen, and the offered powers were quite tempting. Of particular interest was the ability to utilize the resistance army's intelligence network, granting him the means to search for information, including individuals, which was precisely what Ashen desired the most.

The burning desire for revenge within Ashen had never waned; it remained a fiery blaze in his heart. It would only be extinguished when he quenched it with the blood of his enemies. However, Ashen was not someone who will let blind vengeance rule him.

He turned to Julius and stated with a serious expression on his face, "I'm truly honored by the contract you've offered, but I have one essential question. My decision will depend on your answer."

Julius replied, "Please, feel free to ask me anything, and I will provide you with a satisfactory answer."

Ashen inquired, "What is the purpose of the resistance army? I know that you're both the founder and the leader, so I'd like to understand the ultimate goal you aim to achieve."

Julius was taken aback momentarily by Ashen's question, but a resolute expression quickly settled upon his face as he responded, "My goal is to create an earthly paradise where peace prevails, where no one needs to resort to theft or murder just to survive. It's a place where everyone's rights are ensured, where justice and integrity reign, and no one stands above another.a place ruled by justice and only justice"

Ashen displayed a disappointed expression upon hearing Julius's reply. He let out a sigh and remarked, "Well, if you believe in your goal, you should pursue it. However, I'm afraid I won't be able to share that dream with you. Justice is an incredibly challenging goal. In the past, it might have been feasible, but in this age of power, I can confidently say that it's close to impossible. Nevertheless, I do hope you can prove me wrong."

Ashen swiftly interjected before Julius could respond further, expressing his gratitude and offering his support. "And don't worry, I'll never forget your kindness and assistance. As for Edward, I will handle him both for your sake and my own. If you ever encounter any challenges in the future, remember that my doors are always open for you. You can reach out for my help, and I'll be the first to stand by your side."

Julius wore a conflicted expression, seemingly harboring many thoughts, but in the end, he nodded with a smile and replied

" Thank you, and I hope you recover quickly. Now I won't bother you any longer. Have a good day "

Julius exited the room, and as he closed the door behind him, Celine made her opinion clear as she said

" I'm also leaving. I have other, more grateful patients to take care of. I've already spent many hours on an ungrateful person, and I won't waste any more time on you."

With that, she, too, left without providing Ashen with an opportunity to respond. He sighed and remained silent.

Once everyone had departed, except for the twins, a notification appeared in front of Ashen's face

" Yes "

[ Your anger is abnormally increasing. ]

[ You entered a state of rage and bloodlust ]

[ Your rationality decreased and your strength increased ]

[ You acquired a new skill, the source of the skill is unknown ]

[ Error !!! ]

[ The skill level is very high. It will cause the death of its holder ]

[ The skill will be partially sealed and the seal will gradually lift as your strength increases ]

[ You acquired Crimson Rage ]

[ Crimson rage ( ??? ) : When the user experiences extreme anger, the skill will be activated automatically. The user will be blinded by anger. In return, his strength will increase. The degree of increase depends on the degree of anger. This skill has no cooldown time ]

" So this is the reason why I lose my rationality completely when I'm angry," Ashen mumbled.

"What are you talking about?" Emma inquired, sitting next to him.

"It's nothing; I was just lost in thought," Ashen responded. "Anyway, what were you two doing while I was unconscious?"

Before Emma could reply, the building suddenly started shaking, cutting her off mid-sentence.