I, the Weakest Human, Start with a Hundredfold Bonus Talent?

Chapter 94: Chapter94-Messages in the Wind

"I thought it was something else. Don't worry, even thirty won't be a problem!" Mac laughed heartily, slinging Exiled Immortal over his shoulder.

He and John stepped into the elevator, and as it slowly ascended, old Mac finally withdrew his gaze from the depths of the massive pit, exhaling deeply.

"It's over, finally over..."

"Mac, I actually have some thoughts about Shadows of the Past."

Recalling the item description of Shadows of the Past, John turned to old Mac and asked, puzzled, "Mac, from whom did you hear the name Shadows of the Past?"

"It was from my father. Is there a problem?"

"I just find it a bit strange. Mac, could it be that you see Shadows of the Past more often than others because you're fixated on it, so you notice its presence more frequently? But why? What does Shadows of the Past mean to you that it haunts you so much, making you willing to take such great risks?"

"That's... another story."

Old Mac rubbed his temples, memories surfacing in his mind.

"When I was young, my father used to scare me with stories about Shadows of the Past. He often said that if you were taken by Shadows of the Past, your soul would be absorbed, becoming a part of them. I always believed that.

Until the year my father disappeared in the storm. I never wanted to accept it and searched for over twenty years, but I never found him. So, I had to accept the fact that my father was dead.

But... how I wished to see him one more time! If Shadows of the Past really absorbs the souls of the dead, then could my father's soul be inside it too? This thought gradually turned into my obsession."

At this point, old Mac suddenly laughed at himself, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Isn't it silly? I'm such a grown man, yet I still believe in these stories, which are obviously lies."

"Maybe it's not a lie at all?"

"What... what did you say?"

Old Mac looked up, meeting John's gaze, a flash of astonishment in his eyes.

"I said, maybe this story isn't a lie. Otherwise, how do you explain that Shadows of the Past has never actively attacked you? Perhaps your father has been secretly protecting you. While this may seem too idealistic, some things don't always need a reasonable explanation. Leaving a bit of mystery isn't necessarily a bad thing, right?

Mac, I believe that your father would be very happy to see you become such a respected craftsman."

"Really? My father has been protecting me all this time?"

"Look at that storm. It rages between heaven and earth but never touches you. Haven't you heard the voices in the wind, expressing your father's longing?"

Upon hearing this, old Mac closed his eyes for a long time.

Although he knew deep down that John might be saying this just to comfort him, even so, even so...

"John, thank you for helping me find peace."

"No problem. I'm just beautifying the facts a bit. What's truly important is not what I say, but whether you're willing to believe it."

[Ding, Trickster skill activated. NPC Mac's affection level is maxed out.]

As the words fell, the elevator finally reached the top.

John turned around, looking at the worried faces of Helena, Lily, and the others.

He walked forward slowly and smiled, "Did you see that scene just now? A green storm appeared out of nowhere and tore the sandstorm to pieces!"

"Of course! We saw the sandstorm disappear, so Lily and I rushed back to get you! Wait, hold on... a green storm, could it be...?"

"That's right, it was Exiled Immortal. That rascal must have been hiding it for a long time. I didn't expect him to have such terrifying power!"

That's a natural disaster!

Even with alchemy, which is said to create miracles, and Elaria, the strongest force in the game, one can only marvel at the insignificance of oneself in the face of such a cataclysmic event. But Exiled Immortal did it.

Not a [God], but more like a [God].

John had considered a hundred possibilities.

Exiled Immortal might use various clever ways to disperse the sandstorm, but he chose the simplest and most effective method: he created a tornado with his hands and brutally collided it with the sandstorm until it was torn to shreds!

"That's really..."

"Terrifying, right? Luckily, Exiled Immortal passed out from overexertion. Otherwise, I can already imagine how he would brag about himself. But, he does have the power. We owe him today. If it weren't for him, who knows how long we would have been stuck in that mine, and we wouldn't have had the chance to see Shadows of the Past in person."

After placing Exiled Immortal on the mine cart, John also sat down, his tense nerves finally relaxing a bit.

Exiled Immortal's condition was similar to Lily's last time—completely drained of stamina and in a comatose state.

He just needed some rest to recover fully.

As for old Mac, he probably wouldn't have any time to visit the Adventurers Guild for a drink for quite a while.

He would have to work overtime to forge all the swords he promised Exiled Immortal.

Of course, John's journey in Talcavano was far from over.

The side quest was just a pleasant surprise.

What really mattered to John was the main quest in Talcavano, which had a chance to reward a [Legendary] quality item—the dragon egg.

John was determined to obtain it! Even though he wasn't a Dragon Knight class, just the thought of having a dragon made him excited!

...

Meanwhile, inside Talcavano!

Qing's head bobbed like a pecking chicken, finally snapping up before he fell completely asleep.

He slapped his face to wake himself up.

"This is too much. Sleeping from morning till now and still not awake?"

He glanced at the time; it was getting late outside, and there was still no sound from the room.

Before leaving, John had specifically asked Qing to keep an eye out for news about the Dragon Knight Lord and to help protect Elaria.

Qing had readily agreed.

As a result, he ended up sitting at the door all day while Elaria slept inside all day.

Had he known, he might as well have gone to the Adventurers Guild for a few drinks!

As these thoughts ran through his mind, Qing suddenly heard footsteps approaching.

He looked up and saw John.

Qing's heart lifted, and he hurried over, taking Exiled Immortal from John's back and shouldering him himself.

"John, what happened to Exiled Immortal?"

"He passed out from exhaustion. Don't worry about it, just throw him back in his room and let him sleep. Any news from the Lord's side?"

"None. He hasn't shown up all day. I even paid people to keep an eye on him, and they were supposed to report back to me with any news. But those two haven't returned all day."

John: "..."

"Is it possible that they just took your money and ran?"

Qing: "...No way, NPCs can be that bad?"

"Hard to say. By the way, where's Elaria? Still in her room?"

"She's been sleeping all day. This Elf Queen, could she have narcolepsy or something? How can she sleep so much?"

"Ha... maybe."

John clearly didn't want to talk more about this topic.

Although Helena and Lily had already returned to their rooms downstairs, he decided it was better to say nothing more to avoid any mistakes.

"Thanks for your hard work, Qing. Tomorrow you can move around freely. I'll keep an eye on the Lord's place myself. By the way, it's really a pity you missed Mine No. 3 today. You missed a movie-level scene."

Hearing this, Qing immediately became interested and asked, "What? What kind of scene? It wasn't like something out of a horror movie, was it?"

John left with a casual wave and a smile as he opened the door, "Wait until Exiled Immortal wakes up and ask him. I'm sure he'll be more than happy to give you a detailed account. That rascal has probably been dying to tell someone."