Chapter 134: Refinement
Refinement is an extremely delicate process. At first glance, it may seem like a common procedure, but in reality, each step is fraught with invisible risks and dangers that lurk silently.
This art can be practiced in different ways: refining Zu, refining magic formulas, gradually raising its rank, or, in the most daring cases, forcing the creation of a new Zu or even a completely different magic.
However, what Kael was about to face far exceeded the difficulty of those examples. His refinement was neither simple nor straightforward; it was a combined refinement. Mixing Zu with magic formulas was comparable to colliding two mighty rivers that should never meet.
A single mistake could turn the process into an irreversible catastrophe, not only destroying the Zu and the formula, but even wounding the refiner deep in his soul.
Even so, Kael decided to do this. From that risk would be born a unique magic: the Magic of Star Acceleration.
A technique designed to manipulate the power of the stars and transform their brilliance into pure speed, accelerating the growth of those who use it. For many, it was madness. For him, it was the only possible path.
Kael quickly lit the cauldron while filling it with water that had been exposed to moonlight for a week.
While warming up in the water, he moved on to the Zu, his brow furrowing slightly. This was the most complicated part for him, as he had never refined these before. And mistakes are something he cannot afford right now.
However, just at that moment, a notification window appeared.
Ding.
[The refinement assistance feature has been unlocked. However, this feature will be locked once the refinement is complete.]
[Do you want to activate this feature?]
[Yes/No]
Kael’s eyes flashed slightly, and without thinking, he clicked "Yes."
Ding.
[The refinement assistance feature has been activated]
However, contrary to what he expected, several windows began to appear in front of him. They were not instructions that did the work for him, but rather a detailed guide, a series of steps on how to refine Zu, how to manipulate its flow, and how to fuse them in the refinement process. This was exactly what he wanted.
Kael didn’t want a shortcut; he didn’t want the system to do it for him; what he craved was knowledge, absolute control over every detail.
It seems that the system molds itself to my desires. He thought, his gaze hardening.
Since obtaining it, he had noticed that missions and interactions were minimal. The system seemed to observe him silently, appearing only when strictly necessary.
Since his rebirth, this peculiarity had become apparent, as if guiding him with calculated distance, pushing him to forge his own path rather than carrying him in its arms.
Putting his thoughts aside, Kael focused entirely on refinement.
He placed the Zu Meteorite and the Zu Star of Tomorrow in front of him. Each floated in the air with a particular glow: the first, heavy and imposing, as if it contained fragments of ancient mountains and skies; the second, ethereal and radiant, like a sea of stars condensed into a single point.
Kael, using his mana essence, began to manipulate them with extreme care. His movements were precise. He couldn’t rush: one false move could ruin everything.
Then, he threw several ingredients into the process: the morning star flower and the acceleration sap. The ingredients floated slowly, spinning in the air as if drawn by an invisible field. Under Kael’s guidance, they began to merge with the two Zu.
Little by little, the fusion became more intense, and a starry glow emerged from their bodies, as if a night sky had been born.
The glow illuminated his face, cold and focused. Kael looked up and continued adding two more ingredients, starlight monkey saliva and three-night hemlock.
The ingredients returned to the starry glow, which shone even brighter. From within that luminescence, a new Zu emerged.
According to the note, it was the Accelerated Star Zu, the second main ingredient for creating Star Acceleration Magic. Its glow was different from the previous ones: vibrant, impetuous, like a river of stars flowing against all logic.
Kael watched him silently. At that moment, he realized that the real challenge was just beginning. The water in the cauldron was already hot, and according to the note left by Zu Estrella Acelerada, this was the critical moment. Every mistake would be fatal, and the slightest oversight would destroy the entire process.
When the Zu made contact with the water, it immediately transformed. The liquid lost its transparency and became a dark firmament, dotted with sparkling points of light: a miniature night sky, contained within the cauldron.
Kael wasted no time and continued adding the required ingredients. He knew that this part of the refinement process was crucial.
With a precise gesture, he pulled out several magic formulas: Swift Star and Star Against Time, and Destiny. Each formula was more than just a simple material; it was the crystallization of abstract concepts, symbols of laws that governed the flow of the universe.
One by one, he threw them into the cauldron. As soon as they touched that liquid sky, they began to react. The symbols twisted, deformed, and finally melted into the starry water.
Thick smoke began to escape from the cauldron. It was no ordinary smoke: it was strands of stars, fragments of nebulous light rising in spirals. Each puff seemed to have a life of its own, as if trying to escape Kael’s control.
The air was filled with a cosmic glow. The pressure was mounting, and although the process was progressing, it was clear that each step tested not only his skill but also his mettle.
Kael kept his gaze steady. Nothing could distract him. The slightest hesitation would mean the destruction of everything he had built up until now.
Michel, who was watching everything, couldn’t help but be surprised. Each of Kael’s tasks was performed with precision, without the slightest distraction. There was no pause in his movements, not a single moment when his concentration wavered. That level of focus was something he himself would not be able to maintain.
Even more so, considering the situation they were in. They were racing against time, and it was very likely that the members of the Blander family had already entered the inheritance. Every second was vital; every moment lost could mean defeat.
However, despite these thoughts, what caught his attention most was something else:
When did Kael learn to refine?
Refinement was not something that could be easily acquired. It was not a talent that could be obtained overnight.
Michel knew this well: refinement was a dangerous art, a path fraught with risks. A slight deviation, a miscalculation, or a simple oversight could cause a setback that would not only damage the body but also leave wounds on the soul, scars that could never be erased.
Michel frowned. His astonishment was mixed with a hint of disbelief. Still, he remained silent. He crossed his arms and stood motionless, watching the process intently.
Before his eyes, Kael continued with the refinement, each gesture charged with calm and determination, as if everything happening around him were irrelevant.
With that, only the final part of the refinement remained. The previous steps had been arduous, but what came next was even more delicate: the main ingredients.
Kael, with his essence of mana, began to manipulate them with precision. Before him lay the decisive materials: a blue lightning cheetah heart; the magic formula for a pact with the third black heaven, a talisman charged with darkness; and, finally, the starfire spell.
Under his careful manipulation, Kael integrated each ingredient into the process. With each addition, the cauldron reacted violently, as if resisting his imposed control. However, Kael’s mana essence kept everything under control, firm as invisible chains that subdued the chaos.
Then it happened. The cauldron, which until now had contained the process, began to change. Its surface became transparent, as if it were gradually disappearing.
The liquid inside, that miniature night sky, studded with stars, rose into the air, leaving the container behind.
In front of Kael, that stellar substance began to slowly condense, molding itself under invisible forces. Its initial shape was formless, but little by little it became more refined, defining itself with each flash. In the end, what emerged was the silhouette of an ancient leaf.
"Michel, bring Elizabeth’s body." Kael’s voice rang out calmly as he looked at the substance floating in the air.
Michel, without saying a word, brought Elizabeth’s unconscious body closer to him.
Kael grabbed Elizabeth’s body by the neck, his expression not changing in the slightest. This was the most important ingredient of all.
He was a person with a talent of B rank or highest, and Elizabeth met these requirements.
With this, Kael killed two birds with one stone. And that was why he had previously said that the Star Lord’s method was quite demonic.
"Well... let’s start with the final part," he muttered with some anticipation, as he was finally going to obtain the magic and fulfill the reason he had come to this mountain.
Just then, a heart-wrenching voice rang out, filled with fierce hatred and rage that seemed to burn the very air.
"DAMN BASTARDS! LET MY DAUGHTER GO OR I’LL TEAR YOU TO PIECES!"