That's when he opens his eyes and realizes that a young woman with a tired face, but without losing the beauty she always had, greets him:
“Welcome back Numbart, how do you feel?, um... I hope you're okay,” Ana said somewhat tiredly, but giving Numbart a welcoming and comforting smile.
Numbart opened his eyes and his pupils dited slightly in surprise at finding the young woman he had never seen before, with a beauty that perplexed the boy.
“Um…I'm fine, thank you, but…how do you know my name?” Numbart only managed to say.
This is because everyone in the vilge only called him by his nicknames such as “the mediocre”, “the antigen” or simply the “marginalized”, except for his family and the vilge mayor.
“He's simply the outcast Ana, don't worry about offering more words to this mediocre man,” Valin said before Ana could respond. While Numbart looked in disbelief.
Valin had been monitoring this situation with great suspicion, watching during these hours with a frown when Ana worried about Numbart, where he even tried many times to separate them during these 10 hours without being able to do so.
“I am a friend of your sister Elena, and…she has told me some things about her little brother Numbart,” Ana said, avoiding Valin's inquisitive gaze, completely ignoring him.
“Oh… emm… I understand, I'm actually Numbart, it's nice to meet you Ana,” said Numbart who could feel a chill down his spine as he felt Valin's gaze, who with clenched fists seemed to want to beat Numbart.
The next moment, just when Valin wanted to say another word, the mayor's voice was heard.
“I'm gd you're okay, boy,” he said in an old man's voice with the calm that characterized him and with the authority that he also had.
Hearing the mayor, Numbart immediately sat up and stood up to bow.
“It's nice to see you well, Uncle George,” said Numbart, who could not contain the joy in his words.
Although he was not his uncle by blood, the mayor's retionship with his parents was always very good and the mayor always treated Numbart very well.
“Hahaha, it's good to see you well, boy,” said George, who winked at him to greet him. However, his mood quickly changed and his expression became stern to ask Numbart something.
“Why didn't you go into the Numbart basement?” the mayor asked.
“I don't remember uncle... ahem... Mayor,” said Numbart who, upon feeling Valin's gaze with his fists increasingly clenched, seemed to want to beat Numbart to death.
The mayor then asked about the situation of Numbart's parents and that of the vilgers in general, so Numbart told everything that he knew and had experienced, except his talk with the mysterious voice, the capture of the guard, and that he was a martial cultivator at the primary path stage. He simply gave expnations that were easy to believe for those people who did not trust Numbart's potential at all.
The mayor listened carefully to the entire expnation, but in certain parts where Numbart had clearly experienced incredible things and excuses had to be made, the mayor narrowed his eyes and said to Numbart.
“I understand everything more clearly, it is really a tragedy,” the mayor could not help but say with eyes full of helplessness and clenching his fists slightly.
“They really didn't make it, Axel, Saya,” the mayor thought to himself, who couldn't help but lightly whisper those words, so no one could hear.
However, Numbart could clearly hear this whisper from the mayor, who although he was 10 meters away from him, was able to catch the names of his parents. Enton opened his eyes with notable surprise and before he could say another word the mayor arrived in a matter of seconds before Numbart and took him by the arm.
“Follow me boy, we have to talk alone,” the mayor said to Numbart, taking him by the arm and taking him to a private room that was inside the basement, to the confusion of everyone present.
Why would the mayor give so much attention to this poor child? thought all the people gathered there, except Ana who only observed what happened in silence.
Once inside the room where only George and Numbart were, the old man looked at Numbart with a look much more expressive than before, clearly showing an allergy that came from the depths of his heart before saying:
“Boy, congratutions on entering the primary path of martial cultivation, after so many years of seeing you training so hard I always never lost hope of seeing you become a complete cultivator,” said the old man, leaving Numbart stunned.
So Uncle George always knew he was a cultivator, Numbart thought. Who, seeming totally helpless but somewhat mischievous, answered:
“That's right, uncle, given the tragedy we are experiencing, I have luckily been able to enter martial cultivation,” Numbart responded with a somewhat nostalgic smile, remembering so many years of fruitless training.
After that, Numbart told the mayor how they had found the books on cultivation techniques and methods in the library of his house, and how he had trained his soul.
“Wow, I've never heard anything like that before,” the Mayor couldn't help but say, continuing to say and expin to Numbart.
"Boy, that type of training is not normal at all, generally you need a pce with the power of nature and some guide to be able to feel and train your soul, and it takes a period of 2 years with the best talent that I have a record of to be able to enter and see your spiritual space inside you," said the mayor, looking with new eyes at Numbart.
After saying this, the mayor expined to Numbart that in the period of 2 days it was impossible to train and strengthen the soul to such an extent.
“That's why you were in that state when we found you,” the mayor concluded before reflecting for a few minutes.
“That's right Mayor, sorry for scaring you,” Numbart nodded, somewhat embarrassed.
After finishing talking about that topic, Numbart suddenly changed his expression, and slightly frowning with an eminently solemn face, he took a deep breath and said:
“Uncle George, I think we can save the vilge, currently the demi-humans of the Stel Kingdom are all under the sea, there is no one to guard the vilge now, except for the guard that I have tied up in his house,” said Numbart, who had previously told the mayor that he was able to tie up this guard because he saw him suddenly fainted.
“Pfff… No… Boy, we can't do it, since we ck enough strength to fight against the enemies of that kingdom,” the old man said helplessly, exhaling deeply.
Numbart then looked up at the sky, clearly confused, so the old man understood that the boy had never studied the path of martial cultivation before.
“Okay Numbart, I will expin to you the power ranges of the path of martial cultivation that you can understand in your current state,” said the old man, making the decision to expin to Numbart about this.
"You are currently at the first level of the primary path, which is the first stage of martial cultivation, and is divided into 10 levels just like the other ranks. At this stage your senses are a little stronger than a normal person and your body can absorb a little of the energy of the world to perform attacks and resist attacks. Even in advanced stages of the primary path they can rival common beasts or you can face 2 primary path cultivators in the early levels and not necessarily lose...", while expining this, Numbart began to clench his fists and nod at all the knowledge George imparted.
Then finishing expining the primary path, Numbart asked about the other stages of cultivation.
“First you have the stage where every cultivator who has some potential can reach, and they are the 3 stages of the primary paths
Numbart at this point began to move his knee excitedly while listening.
"Then comes the stage of
Numbart, upon hearing this, began to wonder what rank the people he knew were, so he immediately pointed out this concern to the mayor.
This resulted in the general majority of the people in the vilge being at levels between 5 and 9 of the primary spiritual path. While among the 3 geniuses, his sister Elena was the strongest with a level 9 nascent avatar stage, while Valin and Ana were at level 6 nascent avatar stage.
Likewise, the mayor mentioned that there were some people from the older generation who were in the first levels of the spiritual avatar stage, and who protected the vilge in case of enemy attack, being its guardians.
“Numbart, there are even many more stages, but for a vilge like ours this knowledge is all you will need for now,” the mayor resolutely mentioned, but Numbart seemed intrigued by something else.
“What's wrong with my parents?” asked Numbart upon hearing the townspeople's crops?
At this, the mayor simply looked at the sky with his eyes, and opened his arms a little, staring at Numbart: "I have never known your parents' cultivation stage. For example, I am in the rank 9 spiritual avatar stage, stagnant for more than 5 years without progress, and with my current senses I could not establish what their rank is, but they are undoubtedly stronger than me."
Numbart upon hearing this could not help but open his eyes in surprise, since his gentle mother and his super-hardworking father, a farmer, were such outstanding martial cultivators in the vilge.
However, the next moment Numbart remembered the scenes of his parents in a state of svery before his and Elena's room, so he asked:
“I understand everything more clearly now, but… can you tell me the rank of the enemies of the Stel kingdom?” Numbart finally pointed out in a solemn manner.
Hearing the question, George's scalp felt a stinging chill as he remembered how he had been forced to hide the future talents of the vilge and people who couldn't defend themselves.
“The weakest presences were of the level 5 spiritual avatar stage, with many of them being level 8 and 9. However, I couldn't sense the cultivation of the prince who captured our girls, so he is probably of the holy avatar stage or even higher, not to mention that he has a kingdom behind him and millions of cultivators behind him,” the old man said with a frown.
Upon hearing this, Numbart had only to accept that it was an impossible mission to try to rescue his sister without a miracle. But as he watched the memories of his parents fsh through his mind, and as he remembered the disgusting perverted prince, Numbart had to act even if his life was in danger.
"Uncle, I have to go outside and wake up my parents and vilgers, I think that with them we can have even a minimal chance of rescuing the kidnapped girls... please help me create a miracle," said Numbart who put his body on his knees to make a request with his head bowed, but with a look without a doubt.
The old man, seeing Numbart's determination, could not let out a breath of air through his mouth, and then said:
“Look Numbart, honestly I would like to help you and go out with you, however I am maintaining a soul energy formation with my powers, this is why they couldn't find us here in the basement, and I don't think I can st much longer with this active formation, so in case of any problem the enemies would destroy our entire future,” said the Mayor with helplessness in his eyes as he saw Numbart's discouraging reaction.
"But look... I have an ancient artifact that allows you to undo the bond of domination that has been imposed by the demi-humans," the mayor mentioned, showing him a green vessel that contained an aura from ancient times. But before Numbart could cim victory, the mayor warned:
“However, we have a problem… it can only be activated by the power of a cultivator in the sacred avatar stage, however we do not have one in our vilge,” the mayor stated, looking seriously at Numbart.
Numbart, upon suddenly encountering so many problems, understood a little more what it is to be a martial cultivator, but he did not lose hope. Master, I think I will have to believe that your taste has chosen me for a reason, thought Numbart and quickly answered:
"Mayor, I know that I was never part of the future of this vilge, as the mediocre young man without talent in a vilge with a history of war, that is why I want you to allow me to risk my life with this vessel... I want you to let me go out and find a way to help my parents and sister," said Numbart without hesitation, who took the vessel from the mayor's hands.
“Don't be stupid kid, you could die at any moment if the enemies suddenly return,” replied George, who shook his head with a serious expression.
“Mayor, do you know that… I have discovered that by entering the path of cultivation, I can circute my soul energy in an uncontrolled manner to try to erase my soul, and believe me, if you do not let me go, I will do so without a second's hesitation, please open the door” said Numbart, who did not back down in the slightest.
Faced with this irrational request from Numbart, the mayor in the end could not refuse and agreed to the request.
“Okay kid, I hope with all my heart that you can find a hidden expert nearby and can help you activate that treasure,” the old man concluded.
While this conversation was going on, Valin is trying to approach Ana to talk about something.
“Ana, look...when all this is over I would like to bring forward our wedding, I no longer want to get married when I am 18, I want to marry you when I am 17, that is, in one more year,” said Valin, who was also Ana's fiancé.
Ana narrowed her eyes with obvious displeasure and said: “What need is there to bring forward the wedding, you don't even know if we are going to survive this tragedy,” Ana responded, walking away from Valin little by little.
Then Valin, upon noticing Ana's rejection, raised his position again: "precisely because of this tragedy, I understand that if we survive it will be our destiny to be together and...", approaching Ana wanting to take her hand.
However, before he could touch it, they heard the sound of the door of the private basement room, and saw Mayor George with Numbart, who is holding a vessel with an ancient aura.
Then, before anyone could say a word, the mayor said to everyone present:
“Numbart is heading to try to save the other vilgers… As you know I am maintaining the power of the formation in this pce with my soul energy, so I ask all of you who will try to help this young man,” the old man said loudly.
Suddenly strange sounds began to be heard throughout the room, because everyone present was holding back their ughter, in consideration of the mayor's words.
However, these sounds did not st long, because a person's ughter could be heard loudly.
“Hahaha, that mediocre fool has always been marginalized by the vilge and now he wants to save it…he even thinks he has the possibility of doing so without being a martial cultivator,” Valin said, tears even coming out of his eyes from crying from ughter.
Given this, everyone present could not contain themselves and expressed unrestrained contempt and made countless mockery of Numbart, who did not seem to be affected by these words in the slightest.
Numbart is really more mature than these people, Ana couldn't help thinking, who behind all the mocking people was there without flinching, but with an almost imperceptible smile on her face.
Numbart walked through the jeers towards the exit, under which he asked the mayor to open the doors. The next moment he opened them and said to Numbart:
“I always trusted your future boy, good luck,” before activating the mechanism to open the doors and letting Numbart out.
The doors began to close, and Numbart could still hear the taunts of the others in the basement, so he decided to continue on his way.
“Wait!”, a voice could be heard by Numbart, who turned around in the direction of the basement and saw how a phoenix flew at inhuman speed, passing through the doors of the basement that had not yet closed, arriving at Numbart's side.
Then Numbart could see that Ana had put her hand on his back and said:
“I really admire your determination Numbart, let me help you,” Ana finished saying with a smile.