Lifting Blind curtains!

"Because not only is the Hero of Darkness crazy strong, but they also have a screw loose in their mind," Vorondor said.

"Strong and screw loose? What do you mean by that?" asked Aldric in return.

"What I mean is that your God is much more powerful than any other gods, like he is supreme among the other gods. So naturally, the abilities his heroes receive are also much greater compared to the heroes of other gods," Vorondor explained.

"But that only explains the former part. What about the latter part?" Aldric asked in confusion.

"It is because of the abilities you and your predecessors receive," Vorondor said.

"Huh! What does that have to do with the abilities we receive?" Aldric asked.

"Are you an idiot? Don't tell me you didn't research anything," Vorondor said, shocked.

"Yes, I did research about adventurer ranks, dungeons, and the hierarchy of the world," Aldric replied.

"You crazy piece of s**t! You call yourself a hero. Tell me one thing seriously, how old were you before you were summoned by Malfor?" asked Vorondor, angered.

"I was 19, and who is Malfor?" Aldric asked in confusion.

"What in the damn Warna! You were a f**cking child! How could he be so dumb to summon a child, and to top it off, he didn't even tell you his name? How does he expect to contact you?" shouted Vorondor, his anger evident. Aldric was shocked to see this side of Vorondor, who mostly remained calm and collected.

"The God of Darkness's real name is Malfor, and also, isn't summoning random?" Aldric asked.

"Noooo, don't tell me Malfor told you that summoning can occur randomly. No, it is not some random thing. Gods summon souls at will, and the one who rules over death, how can you say he can't summon souls at will?" Vorondor explained.

"Wtf, he told me gods summon heroes randomly," said Aldric, shocked. After a while, Vorondor spoke again, "Maybe he has some other motives. Listen, kid, don't trust anyone from this point on. Do not get influenced by others," Vorondor said in a serious tone.

"But tell me, what did you mean by previous heroes going insane because of their abilities?" Aldric asked again.

"As I already told you, since your god is stronger than other gods, the abilities he offers to his heroes are much greater in terms...," Vorondor began explaining, but Aldric interrupted, "You already told me that."

"Will you let me finish first?" Vorondor said, angered. Though Aldric couldn't see him, he could feel his emotions clearly.

"As his heroes and you progress, and your divine abilities get stronger, the amount of soul essence it will use will be much greater. Since you don't know what soul essence is, let me explain it to you," Vorondor paused and continued.

"Listen closely, Aldric. Within every living creature in Warna, from the humblest beetle to the mightiest emperor, burns a hidden ember: the soul essence. Imagine it not as a flickering candle, but as a miniature sun trapped inside you, radiating a unique light that reflects the tapestry of your being. Your courage, your kindness, your rage, your dreams – all swirl within this inner sun, giving it its color and strength.

This is the source of your magic. It fuels the way you breathe, the wounds you heal. But here's the catch: this sun, though powerful, isn't bottomless. Using it carelessly is like throwing logs on a bonfire without restraint, resulting in the flames that were meant to keep you warm, in the end consuming you. Your soul essence will burn too bright, warping your mind, twisting your thoughts, and leaving you a husk of your former self. Leaving no sense of reasoning nor understanding.

Think of it like a river, Aldric. You can draw water from it to quench your thirst, to water your crops, to power a mill. But guzzle it all down, and you'll flood the fields, drown the fish, converting a flourishing land into a land that won't bear fruits. Your abilities are like that water, powerful tools when used wisely, but disastrous if you don't respect the wellspring.

As you grow stronger, your feats will demand more, like a grand mill needing a wider stream. You'll learn to tap deeper into your soul essence, but always with caution. Honor its limits, Aldric. Respect the river within you, lest you become the flood that destroys the very land you seek to protect. Remember, your true strength lies not just in the fire you unleash, but in the control you wield."

Listening to Vorondor's explanation left Aldric in awe. He didn't know there was something that powered him. He thought he could take advantage of the abilities he had, but no, there was something like this behind it.

"What happened to the previous heroes?" Aldric asked.

"Except for the previous Heroen of Darkness, everyone else consumed their soul essence in whole, resulting in only one thing," Vorondor said.

"What was it?" said Aldric, with tension on his face.

"A painful death," Vorondor replied.

"Then what about the Heroen of Darkness? You said except her?" Aldric questioned.

"Unlike those fools, she was the only hero in your line who listened to the warning and made herself good enough to use her divine abilities to the fullest," Vorondor said. Aldric was confused because he thought that divine abilities were at their full performance from the start.

"What do you mean by 'to use it to the fullest'? Aren't Divine abilities also at their maximum?" Aldric questioned.

"Ahh, why do I expect a child to understand these things," sighed Vorondor.

"What do you take divine abilities as?" Vorondor asked.

"If you ask me, I think divine abilities are superior in comparison to the abilities others have," Aldric answered innocently.

"That's why I call you a kid. Do you think everyone in Warna has a system like you and used an ability called Absorption to get different skills from others?" Vorondor asked. To which Aldric nervously responded, "Isn't that how it is?"

(Author's Note: The information in this chapter is important, that is why I am dragging this on. Please understand my point of view as well.)

"No, you idiot. It is not how you think," Vorondor said.

"A person in Warna, irrespective of their field of work, develops skills with time and practice. A swordsman needs to learn how to hold a sword before knowing how to swing it. Similarly, a person in Warna needs to learn and practice a skill to make it their own," Vorondor explained.

"Okay, so that's how things work," Aldric said, lifting the blind curtain that were once on his eyes.

"Now that you understand what I mean, it is time for your training," Vorondor said.

"Training? For what?" Aldric asked, confused.

"Did you forget? You are a swordsman. Don't tell me you forgot how you died once in front of a mere wolf," Vorondor said.

"No, it's not like that, but who is going to train me?" Aldric asked, still confused.

To which Vorondor replied, "me."