LONE: The Journey Beyond

Chapter 22: Embarking the Path.

After notifying his team about their next mission, Reven went to meet Vera.

The reason was to see if the Nanotech suits were ready or not.

At Vera's office.

"Hey Vera! Are the suits ready?" Reven questioned.

"They will be done in a week. I am just installing the final programs. You are in for a lot of surprises."

"That's good… I will be needing the suits soon for the next mission."

"What?! Didn't you just come back from the Outer Circle?" She looked at Reven for an explanation.

Reven smiled bitterly and continued, "Well... I have orders. I can't deny it."

"Those bastards! They really want to squeeze you guys dry. Always using you guys." Vera fumed.

"Ignore it, Vera. It's a mission; me and my squad will complete it and be back soon.

Now tell me, how is everything going at your end? Have you two decided what I asked you about?"

"I have discussed it with Aimee. She agrees too. But the problem is, how are we going to make others accept that?"

"Don't worry about it. I have a plan for that; you guys just have to be prepared.

Making a Guild will be beneficial to us in the long run. It will be a form of protection for us. Plus, it will be profitable too.

As for when to act, the best time will be when the next wave hits." Reven said with a cunning smile.

"About that, do you have any idea when it may hit?

I mean, the concentration of Ardor is increasing here, which most likely means that the conditions are getting more and more suitable for the monsters.

Not only that, these portals are still hovering above our heads, which in itself is a problem." Vera expressed grave concern.

"I don't really have any analytical data. But if I had to make a guess, then I think it will hit within 3 months!"

"Why 3?"

"Just my intuition."

"Ehh?! You are really believing that."

"Nowadays, I do believe in it.

Plus, my stats show that I have something called [Seamless Intuition], which I think means I will be rarely wrong when it comes to intuition."

"I see. Then I guess we should hurry and prepare as much as possible."

"Indeed, you should do that.

Anyway, how is your relationship going? I thought you guys were going to marry soon, but nothing!"

"Sigh! Our relationship is going through what you call the tough phase."

"Huh!?"

"Listen, it's like this. After the Advent, he also had a mental breakdown.

I mean, he lost his family there, and that too because of the monsters, so I can't really blame him. But even after seeing the psychiatrist, his conditions are still worsening.

I even took three months off to take care of him, but he seems completely detached from me.

I have work too, so I hired a PA for him. Nowadays, he rarely calls me anymore."

"It's okay, girl. I mean, the guy lost his family; maybe a little more time and everything will be alright.

Though I personally don't like what he is doing because most of the people have suffered in the Advent, they are moving forward to save whatever is left to them.

This guy is acting like an edgy idiot. I'm sorry to say that, but you should talk to him about it.

You know, sometimes a push is all that's needed to bring a person out of their agony. Still, that's your personal matter, so let's leave it at that." Reven suggested.

"Whom are you calling a girl? I am a full-fledged woman. And why the fu*k do you sound like a sage?" Vera snorted sarcastically.

"Well… Woman then..." Reven scratched the back of his head.

Hehehe!

"You dummy, I am just pulling your leg." Vera started to laugh.

After finishing their conversation, Reven left the office.

-----

At Dr. Giovanni's lab.

Reven could be seen talking to a young man; this man was none other than Dr. Giovanni's son, Valey Giovanni.

"Reven, how are ya man? Years have passed since I last saw you at the academy."

"I am good. I heard you Awakened your ability; it's called [Super Sensitivity], ain't it?"

"Yup, it allows me to draw great conclusions from my research. In fact, it also allows me to have advanced senses during fights even though I am not a fighter."

"I see. So it gives you the ability to draw many conclusions from the information you have and the experiments you do." Reven was very interested in this ability, as he himself had a skill named [Super-Senses].

From Valey's theory, it seems this [Super-Senses] skill granted him very high situational awareness, which helped Reven in research purposes and allowed him to process large amounts of data at the same time during physical combat.

"The old man told me about the GEP-2.0. This is really going to be another revolutionary thing, and we can sell it without any problems too, as it will not be like the GEP."

"I have come here to discuss that only." Dr. Giovanni also entered the room as Reven said that.

"Reven boy, the data you sent finally helped stabilise the potion. It's really a miracle, but we have succeeded in creating GEP-2.0.

As for the business part, I think you should discuss that with Valey. This old man is more of a researcher than a businessman."

"Well… First of all, congratulations to us!

As for the details, I think you should see them too. I am thinking of creating a big company, so it's important." Reven insisted as he sent a file to them via Empress.

Valey read the details about the company and then looked at Reven, speechless!

"It seems you are going to become a fierce businessman after leaving the army.

As for the plan, I don't have any problems with the number of shares I am getting. But how are we supposed to launch the product?"

"We will launch it after 6 months.

We will collaborate with Evergreen Industries. As for the promotions, I already have a plan for that.

Also, I have bought a factory to produce the potions, so no worries there.

As for the potion, we will sell a diluted version that will simply enhance the Ardor quality even if someone is already Awakened and has started cultivation.

As for the real version, I think you know that it's better for it to be a secret. It contains secrets of GEP itself embedded in it, and we don't want that leaking out just yet."

"True."

"I think we should start the production too, as it will certainly have high demand."

"Okay then. I am willing to be an investor in this project too."

"That's fine by me."

"What is the name of the company, though?"

"I have thought of 'ETHOS', which means character or essence. What do you think?"

"That's quite a thoughtful name. I like it."

"Then, that's set. Also, Dr., I need a potion for myself."

"Okay, I will bring it." Dr. Giovanni replied.

Valey looked at Reven and abruptly asked, "Don't tell me, you..."

-----

3 weeks later.

At Reven's house in Maya.

Reven could be seen sitting cross-legged in his meditation chamber, completely naked.

His body was heating tremendously. This was the sign of Reven's Awakening.

The heat around his body kept increasing. At a certain point, his body started to glow and the Ardor around him channeled inside him.

'Now!' Reven thought as he took out a potion.

This was none other than GEP-2.0!

He gulped it down in a single go!

After drinking it, Reven's body started to glow more and more, but the Ardor around him didn't channel inside him; rather, Reven's body was feeling immense coldness.

This was the effect of GEP-2.0!

The Ardor around Reven started to reinforce every single cell of his body; it looked as if his body was going through a second assimilation.

Yes, even though it sounded absurd, that's exactly what happened right now.

CLICK-!

A loud click was heard inside Reven's mind as the process of assimilation was completed.

Some impurities also came out of Reven's body, but it was not much as he had already cleaned himself of impurities once before.

After this was done, his body started to heat up again. His body started glowing even more. A large amount of Ardor formed a tornado around him, with him as the center.

Soon, the Ardor channeled inside him as Reven circulated the [Harmonic Ardor Regulation Art].

His body started to feel pain as he circulated it to open his Physical Body Sheath.

A large amount of Ardor also started to automatically channel inside his Root Cog.

He was also Awakening his Abilities!

Reven's body was literally undergoing a Double Awakening!

His body was continuously fighting with Ardor to stop awakening his Physical Body Sheath. At the same time, his Root Cog was greedily devouring Ardor to Awaken his Abilities.

This condition continued for 12 hours straight, until finally...

*BOOM!*

…..

Author's Note:

>> In the next chapter, Reven will finally Awaken his Abilities and set foot in the path of cultivation.

*****