After a period of debauchery, Allen and Sonia simultaneously ended their meditation.
They exchanged glances, a knowing smile spreading across their faces.
Both had achieved significant breakthroughs in their cultivation!
Sonia had successfully advanced to the early stages of the third stage.
The third stage of Atavism corresponds to the "Chain Demon" form!
Allen's cultivation had finally reached the early stages of the second stage!
Physical Attribute +1!
Mental Attribute +1!
Natural Armor +1!
Current Attributes: Physical 24, Agility 20, Spirit 29
Allen's Atavism transformation had reached the second stage.
In the second stage of Atavism, still a Poison Demon, his height had exploded from 3 meters to 4 meters!
Physical Attribute +4.
Natural Armor +4.
Compared to the first stage of Atavism, the gains were doubled!
Alan's bone spurs showed no noticeable changes.
The venom gland, however, has developed a new ability—absorb viruses!
From now on, Alan can use his bone spurs to absorb viruses from organisms or the environment, transforming them for his own benefit and temporarily rendering the organism (or environment) less toxic.
The amount of poison absorbed depends on his Constitution.
Alan currently has level 6 poison resistance, allowing him to absorb toxins below level 6 without risk.
Starting at level 2, warlocks have a chance to awaken a 2nd-level spell.
Alan was lucky enough to awaken a 2nd-level "Berserk."
…
Berserk: Spend 5 mana to target yourself or a target within 100 meters, causing them to enter a "Berserk" state for up to 10 minutes.
During the Berserk, you gain +2 Constitution and mental resistance, making you less susceptible to mind control like hypnosis.
However, there's a price to pay! During a frenzy, he couldn't calm down enough to do delicate tasks requiring intense concentration.
‐For example, casting magic.
‐…
The joy of his promotion didn't last long.
‐Just two days later, Allen received bad news.
‐"Brother Allen! I just received a notice from the higher-ups of the Order. Something big is going to happen!"
‐Sonia pushed the door open, a look of panic.
‐Alan dropped the depleted magic stone in his hand and slowly stood up.
‐"Are the academy sending another team to seize the mushroom garden?"
‐"You guessed right!" Sonia nodded with a wry smile. "The Order's undercover agent in the Warlock Academy sent word. This time, the team will be led by a vice-president."
‐"It must be Charles Russell, Hubert's mentor, a fifth-level naturalist," Allen guessed.
Hubert was Vice-President Russell's direct disciple.
Hubert died in the mushroom garden, and all the accompanying Nature students, save for Olivia, were wiped out.
This crushing defeat dealt a heavy blow to the academy's Nature Department.
Dean Russell, as the leader of the Nature Department, had to personally intervene to take down the mushroom garden and save face.
Otherwise, his position as one of the "three giants of the academy" would be jeopardized.
Alan had anticipated this.
He wasn't surprised that Vice Dean Russell personally took action.
What surprised him was...why it took so long to arrive?
One year in the mushroom garden is two months in the outside world.
Excluding the time Olivia took to return to the academy to tip off, there was still plenty of time, probably wasted in intrigue.
Thankfully, the various factions within the academy were at odds and were hindering each other, allowing Alan to cultivate peacefully in the mushroom garden for a full year.
The good times are over. It's time to consider a retreat.
"Sonia, what do the Human-Demon Cult say?"
"The higher-ups aren't willing to give up the Mushroom Garden and plan to send elite troops as reinforcements!" Sonia still harbored illusions. "Brother Allen! Our cult is well prepared this time. We won't necessarily lose to the Warlock Academy!"
Alan shook his head slightly, a sneer playing at the corner of his lips.
"Brother Allen... aren't you planning to stay here and fight alongside me?" Sonia noticed something was amiss in his expression, and her nerves grew.
"Sorry, Sonia, I have to go." Allen sighed. "Do you remember how terrifying the possessed Hubert was? Vice Dean Russell could kill him with a single hand!"
"But our order also has a fifth-order archbishop!" Sonia protested. "Besides, we have the Fungus Master here!"
"The Fungus Master's strength is at most late fourth-order. Besides, unless the mushroom garden's ecology is seriously threatened, the Fungus Master won't bother interfering in the conflict between the order and the academy."
Alan held Sonia's hand, trying to sober her up.
"I can't say the academy will definitely win and the cult will definitely lose. The key isn't that, but our power is simply too weak!"
"In a struggle between the vice-president and the archbishop, we're mere cannon fodder."
"Sonia, your tenure as acting head has come to an end."
"No matter how obsessed you are with power, it's time to wake up."
"With the archbishop in the mushroom garden, how can you give orders?"
"Even the archbishop's disciples and confidants are probably far more formidable than you!"
"So, what are you hoping for?"
"If you don't want to die here, you must prepare your retreat now."
Hearing him say this, Sonia felt as if she were sinking into an icy cave.
It took a long time for her to muster her spirits.
"Brother Alan... I want to go back to Quinte Island with you, back to the town where we were born and raised."
"We were young then, both so naive..."
"I still remember how you worried about my skinny size and worried I wouldn't have enough to eat, so you stole milk from the kitchen of your tavern for me."
"Actually, milk made my stomach upset, but I happily drank it all anyway."
"Perhaps, that was the happiest day of my life."
As Sonia spoke, her eyes welled up and her voice choked with sobs.
"It's a shame, there's no going back."
"I won't give up...Brother Alan, I won't give up!"
"We've come this far, I won't give up on this!"
Her demeanor gradually turned hysterical.
"I want to stay in the mushroom garden. I want to climb higher!"
"The Human-Demon Cult is my only way to rise!"
"I want to make a name for myself!"
"Until I'm no longer bullied!"
"Never again!"
She cried and screamed, like a madman.
"Sonia..."
Alan pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly.
"I'll stay with you," he almost blurted out.
But in the end, he couldn't say it.
After all, he had his own ambitions and his own path to follow.
A long, winding, and thorny road.
The time was not yet ripe, and he couldn't afford the risk.
He could only flee before the storm arrived.
Like a tiger lying in wait on a desolate hill, its claws lurking, enduring!
The trembling body of the young girl in his arms gradually calmed.
Sonia's madness was entirely the result of life's pressures.
It was a fragile human body's stress response to pain and disaster.
At heart, like Alan, she was an extremely rational person.
When she wasn't mad, she was quite rational.
Sonia raised her head from Alan's arms and smiled through her tears.
A touching blush crept across her tear-stained cheeks.
"Brother Alan, honestly, am I hot?"
"Hot!"
"Is my face pretty?"
"Pretty!"
"Am I good in bed?"
"Good!"
"Am I flirty?"
"Flirty!"
"Then when I miss you, can I come to you and rekindle our past?"
Sonia's eyes flickered, filled with anticipation.
"You can come to me. I'll provide food, drink, and lodging. If we want to rekindle our past..." Alan smiled. "Sorry, you'll have to pay extra."
Sonia's eyes widened in irritation, and it took a long while for her to utter a single word:
"...Why?!"
"I can't be too nice to you. I'm afraid you'll be stressed out," Alan replied calmly.
"...Are you like this with other girls too?"
"To be honest, many girls want to pay me for sex, but I refuse."
"That's fine!" Sonia breathed a sigh of relief.
Alan could see she was feigning relief and felt a little amused, yet inexplicably sad.