Chapter 257: I CAN’T HOLD BACK

Audrey hovered silently in the air without saying anything as if she were staring at Logan in complete disbelief.

Logan didn’t speak either.

He glanced once at Audrey, then once at the sword materialized in his hand.

Several minutes passed in total silence.

Finally, Audrey broke it. “Try every spell you’ve ever used,” she said in a low voice. “Every affinity. Just… don’t use anything too destructive.”

“Alright,” Logan replied, though there was a hint of hesitation in his voice.

He began casting one spell after another…. small wind blades, ice bullets, lightning bolts…

Each spell formed flawlessly.

Not a single failure.

And the more Audrey watched, the more stunned she became.

She remained completely still, her presence quiet but clearly shaken.

Logan, after cycling through every elemental spell he had ever learned, finally stopped. He stared at his hands, his body pulsing with a storm of emotion… shock, confusion, excitement, all mixing together like a tide wanting to spill over.

Still, Audrey said nothing.

Or rather… she didn’t know what to say.

“What’s going on?” Logan finally asked, breaking the silence. His voice was tense.

Audrey may have stayed silent, but he couldn’t. He needed answers… needed to understand what was going on.

Audrey didn’t respond right away.

She hovered silently, deep in thought, searching for an explanation, connecting invisible threads. After a long pause, she finally spoke again.

“Logan, when you first started training… was it cultivation or mana control?”

“Cultivation,” Logan answered without hesitation.

Audrey’s voice turned contemplative. “Then maybe… maybe you’ve never actually used mana to cast magic at all. From the very beginning, you might have been using internal energy.”

She said seriously. “Think about it. Have you ever felt that even without training your mana, your spellcasting improved as your cultivation realm advanced?”

The moment the question left her lips, something clicked in Logan’s mind.

“Is that why my magic tier kept rising even without mana training? Was I really using internal energy this whole time?”

But before he could dwell on that thought, another memory surfaced, one that didn’t quite fit.

He looked up at Audrey. “Yes… my magic tier kept increasing even without any mana training. But I don’t think I was using internal energy from the very start.”

“And why do you think that?” Audrey asked, curious.

“Because… someone once used a method to block the mana flow in my body. And during that time, I couldn’t use magic at all. If I had been using internal energy back then, then cutting off mana shouldn’t have affected my spellcasting. Right?”

Audrey fell silent again.

She processed his words carefully. Then, after another thoughtful pause, she said, “Maybe back then… your cultivation level wasn’t high enough. It’s possible you were relying on a mix of both, mana and internal energy. A hybrid state. And as your cultivation grew, your dependency on mana naturally decreased, until you began using internal energy exclusively.”

She sighed faintly. “That’s the only explanation that makes sense to me.”

And the moment she said it, Logan’s mind buzzed with realization.

Everything finally fit. All the scattered pieces, all the confusion, they clicked into place like a completed puzzle.

“Then… are you saying I don’t even need to learn how to use magic with internal energy?” Logan asked. “I can already do it?”

Audrey’s voice was calm but firm. “Well… that seems to be the case.”

Hearing that, a rush of excitement surged through Logan’s body. He clenched his fist and stared down at it, eyes gleaming.

“If that’s true, then I won’t face any restrictions inside the dungeon. If I act carefully… maybe I can already clear it.

But Audrey, already guessing what was going through his mind, spoke up sharply.

“You’re already thinking about raiding the dungeon, aren’t you?” she said. “Don’t be reckless, Logan.”

Her voice grew colder.

“Just because you can cast magic even under artificial mana suppression doesn’t mean you’re ready to face what’s inside that dungeon. The monster waiting in Solmyr is not ordinary. He’s strong. Very strong. And he’s not alone. He has companions.”

Logan’s jaw tightened. “I’ve already defeated one of his companions. I can’t wait anymore. If I want to save the humans who’ve been turned into monsters… I need to act fast.”

“No,” Audrey replied instantly. “I don’t know which companion you’re talking about, but trust me, he has plenty more. Did you forget what I told you before?”

Her tone sharpened even further. “That dungeon… it’s not just a dungeon. It’s a gateway.”

She paused, then continued more gently. “And yes, I understand you want to save them. I know you carry that weight. But think about it, Logan… You are their last hope. And now that I’ve seen it for myself, that you can already cast spells using internal energy, I’m even more certain. You are the one.”

She hovered closer, her aura unwavering.

“So if you go in there unprepared… and die… who’s going to save them?”

Her words hung heavy in the air.

“Or do you believe you’ll be reborn again?” she asked coldly. “Before you take any step…. think, Logan. Think about the consequences.”

Hearing Audrey’s words, Logan’s determination wavered.

He knew she was right. Every word she spoke was grounded in truth.

But even so… He didn’t want to wait.

He couldn’t.

Just thinking about how those humans, once innocent were now suffering as monsters… it boiled his blood.

He said nothing.

He just stood there, lost in thought.

Minutes passed in silence. Then more.

Soon, nearly an hour had gone by, and Logan still hadn’t moved, standing there like a statue, caught between emotion and reason.

Audrey didn’t say another word.

She simply hovered nearby, watching him quietly.

Because she understood, what she’d already said was enough.

If Logan could be stopped, those words would stop him.

And if not… Then no lecture, no warning, would matter. She would support him regardless…. with everything she had.

So she waited… And gave him the space he needed to decide.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Logan moved.

He let out a deep breath and opened his eyes.

“Alright….. I’ll wait,” he muttered, his voice low but steady. “I’ll grow stronger first.”

Audrey, who had been hovering quietly nearby, let out a faint pulse of relief through her sword aura. She didn’t say anything for a moment…. only watched him with a soft glow shimmering around her.

“I’m glad you chose this path,” she finally said. “Now let’s not waste time. We begin immediately.”

And just like that, Logan threw himself into training again.

From the moment the decision was made, Logan trained with a level of intensity that could break most men. Cultivating with the spiritual energy from the orb, practicing magic spells and even trying some of his old sword moves with Audrey.

Audrey meanwhile guided him without pause, helping him understand the subtleties of using magic through internal energy amplifying his spells, making them faster, sharper, more devastating.

Logan didn’t just improve. He transcended.

His control over each affinity became fluid… wind, fire, lightning, water… even gravity manipulation began responding faster. His sword swings cracked the air. His steps became silent, sharp, deadly.

And while Logan trained in seclusion…

Elsewhere, at the Hunter’s Guild’s fighting arena….

Rowan had taken on another role entirely.

He was trying his best to teach others what Logan had taught him.

Thanks to his knowledge of cultivation received from logan, Rowan began helping others understand what it truly meant to manipulate Qi.

Some struggled at first. But slowly, one by one… they began to grasp it.

Veteran hunters who had never even thought of improving own body started working out to shape it.

Even the Guildmaster himself was forced to acknowledge it… cultivation wasn’t just a mysterious power anymore . It was becoming a bridge between their magic and something greater.

Discussions spread throughout the guild.

New training regimens were drafted.

The change was slow… but unmistakable.

The world was evolving. And at the center of that change stood Logan and Rowan.

Fourteen Days passed within a blink of an eye. And after fourteen days….

The skies above Arcadia gleamed with the first light of dawn.

A quiet buzz swept across the region.

The long-awaited event had finally arrived….

The Showdown of Prowess….

This contest was designed not just to display individual strength, but a showdown of Kingdoms as well.

Those who were yet to reach the S-class level but were considered the best among A-class level had gathered.

Logan, along with Rudeous and Alice, traveled by carriage and finally came to a halt in front of a colossal coliseum. The massive structure stood tall on the border of Arcadia, its sheer size radiating the intensity of the event that was about to unfold.

The moment the carriage stopped, Logan stepped down first, his cloak rustling softly with the wind. Rudeous followed right after, helping Alice as they descended.

Logan’s eyes scanned the surroundings.

There were many familiar faces… But even more were unfamiliar. Strangers, yes, but undeniably powerful ones. Their auras told the story before their names ever could.

Logan, however, remained unfazed.

He didn’t care who they were or where they came from.

“I’m sorry, everyone,” he thought as his gaze swept over the gathering crowd. “But this time… I can’t hold back.”

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