### Chapter: 309
Honestly, Kraush was feeling a bit skeptical.
Activating the Black Hood aimed at the World’s Rift?
He wasn’t sure he could pull it off.
But there was no reason not to give it a shot, so he did.
Surprisingly, the Black Hood really worked!
Kraush felt the aura’s power surging into his grasp.
Could he truly target the World’s Rift?
He had his doubts, but once it activated, he had no second thoughts.
The moment the Black Hood began to steal, it didn’t hold back, grabbing everything without leaving a single speck behind.
Normally, no matter how hard Kraush tried to absorb the aura, he wouldn’t be able to hold more than his capacity.
Even if he could use the flesh of the Dragon King and the four seasons as a vessel for the aura, there was still a limit to the vessel itself.
If he passed a certain threshold, all the power would leak out.
So, no matter how much aura he absorbed, it would be for nothing once he hit his max.
But the aura absorbed by the Black Hood was different.
The Black Hood greedily kept the aura as if it belonged to Kraush, a selfish act of ‘I’ll steal from others, but I’ll never let go of my own!’
But this was an opportunity for Kraush.
The Black Hood is a skill.
This meant the core principle of the Black Hood was sorcery.
Kraush realized that the Black Hood had enshrouded the aura to keep it locked inside him.
‘So that’s how I could use it.’
Going beyond his own limits, Kraush felt the aura filling him up.
The aura was overflowing.
However, too much of anything is toxic.
As the aura filled him to the brim, it started to rebel, trying to burst free.
But Kraush wasn’t just going to stand by and watch!
He resolved the issue of the excess aura leaking out, so now it was time to feast on it from the inside out.
In that instant, the portal he received from Biorein activated.
The portal forced the rampaging aura to calm down.
It silenced the aura, preventing it from smashing through Kraush’s body.
Soon after, the Four Seasons joined in.
The Four Seasons indiscriminately devoured the overflowing aura within Kraush’s body.
The Four Seasons could keep him alive, no matter how extreme the changes in his body.
Kraush first shoved all the aura into the belly of the Four Seasons.
However, even the Four Seasons couldn’t handle the sheer amount of aura all at once.
So, it was time for Kraush to start utilizing the secret techniques he had been learning.
Kraush closed his eyes quietly.
And he concentrated on the aura swallowed by the Four Seasons.
Kraush began to divide the aura one by one through the Four Seasons.
Then he layered the Lyoner over the divided aura.
The layered Lyoner wrangled the aura into a sphere.
The coiled aura tried to escape, but the portal held it in check.
With that, Kraush layered the aura with the skill he learned from Durandal.
That was the God of Creation Weapons.
Normally, it would have to take form outside as a weapon.
But Kraush activated the God of Creation Weapons from within instead.
The basic premise of the God of Creation Weapons was to compress the aura to its limits.
Kraush applied that concept to the now-spherical aura, starting to forcefully compress it.
During this process, the aura kept thrashing about, but Kraush had been steadily mastering how to control the overflow of power through the Blade Demon’s techniques.
‘No matter how much you struggle…’
As long as he applied the Blade Demon’s techniques alongside the portal, there was no way he couldn’t keep it in check.
Of course, throughout this ordeal, Kraush had to maintain his mental state with utmost determination.
If he slipped up even for a moment, the Annihilation Erosion he usually used could erupt inside him.
He certainly didn’t want to explode, so he had to focus all his mental strength.
The once-massive aura sphere gradually began to shrink.
As the aura shrank down to the size of a small bead, Kraush realized his limit and activated the portal.
The rampaging aura was fixed at that point by the portal.
That was the crystallization of the aura, the Inner Pill.
‘With this, I can keep the aura stored.’
Kraush raised his head, drenched in cold sweat.
Thanks to the Black Hood’s effects, there was still a considerable amount of aura lingering in him.
He still had a long way to go.
He couldn’t leave until he turned all the aura into Inner Pills.
‘Please, let my mental strength hold out.’
He had to endure.
Even if that time felt endlessly long.
—
Time passed quickly.
Just when the noisy cicadas began to quiet down,
snowflakes started to bloom here and there.
Beneath such snowflakes, a girl was walking.
Her white hair swayed gently with the breeze.
The girl’s name was Bianca Hardenhartz.
She was known more as the fiancée of Kraush Balheim than by her own name.
“Bianca!”
In that instant, she turned her head towards the voice calling her.
There was a girl with light blonde hair, cut off at the back of her neck.
Dalia Junon.
The daughter of the empire’s foremost swordsman, the Junon family.
“Junon.”
“You look better than usual today!”
At Junon’s remark, Bianca brushed back her white hair.
“It truly feels like winter now.”
Having lived in the northern territories for most of her life, Bianca was still quite sensitive to the heat.
So much so that during the summer, she always had ice elemental spirits around her.
This year, the summer heat was particularly oppressive.
So much so that it seemed as if autumn was skipped entirely, and winter just dropped in.
But now that it had turned to winter, it was the perfect time for Bianca, who struggled with the heat.
“Despite being so sensitive to the heat, you’re always close to your fiancé.”
“He’s cool, you know.”
“Sure, but it changes when he uses his powers.”
As Dalia pointed out, Kraush’s abilities were primarily focused on flames.
Since the property most compatible with using World Erosion easily leaned toward fire.
Whenever Kraush activated his moves, it was so hot next to him that it was hard to get close.
Yet, despite the heat, Bianca always stayed by his side.
Even with her sensitivity to the heat, she loved being near Kraush so much that she could bear it.
“That’s love. Pure love!”
Dalia admired with sparkling eyes as she walked alongside Bianca.
“So, when will this love interest of yours show up?”
It had already been half a year since Kraush left Rahern Academy.
Since he left in early summer, it was only about time he made an appearance.
Yet, he was still nowhere to be found.
“Already summer has passed, and autumn has ended, and now it’s winter. Didn’t he say he’d get married this year?”
Having grown closer to Dalia, Bianca had confided in her regarding the wedding plans.
So, it was no surprise that Dalia had heard she was going to get married this year.
“I’m not worried. It’s Kraush we’re talking about.”
Bianca said confidently, not showing the slightest bit of frustration.
“He keeps his promises.”
“Well, if you say so, Bianca.”
Bianca had unwavering faith in Kraush.
Above all, even if they didn’t have a wedding this year, she was fine.
She had a ring on her finger that symbolized their engagement.
An engagement ring that confirmed their bond.
With that alone, she was alright, no matter how long it took.
Despite the rumors circulating about Kraush and Sigrid’s engagement,
especially with Bianca being one of the parties, she remained unfazed.
“I find that a tad worrying.”
But on another note, Dalia looked at Bianca with a hint of concern.
“Worried? About what?”
“There are just so many around him.”
Bianca knew what Dalia was hinting at.
There were a lot of people who held affections for Kraush.
She knew why so many were infatuated with him.
Kraush always gave his all for others, burning brightly for them.
If he had some ulterior motive, that would’ve been a bit creepy,
but that wasn’t the case with him.
He just wanted to help because he truly wanted to.
That was exactly what fit Kraush’s character.
Unbeknownst to many, that kind of selflessness surprisingly digs deep into people’s hearts.
‘I know why he became that way.’
Having spent the longest time with Kraush, Bianca was well aware of his unwavering commitment to protecting this world.
Kraush had only one goal.
Therefore, in pursuing that goal, he couldn’t harbor any ulterior motives.
He just didn’t have the luxury for it.
But what makes people vulnerable to someone so singularly focused is an interesting insight.
Knowing how challenging it was to stay focused on one thing.
Kraush’s acquaintances reflected on him, adapting their behavior accordingly.
And Kraush, of all people, had revealed his affections for Bianca.
He was the one who confessed first, asking her to marry him.
Bianca felt the pride and value in that moment—a feeling no one else could understand.
With her back straight, she slightly lifted her chin.
That unmistakable look of self-satisfaction was all hers.
“Not sure why, but I feel all puffed up. Isn’t it cute?”
Having watched Bianca for half a year, Dalia began to read her expressions.
She admired Bianca, finding her adorable.
For some reason, despite them being the same age, Dalia often pretended to be more mature than she was.
Just then, Bianca’s feet came to a sudden halt.
Dalia, taken aback by the abrupt stop, mirrored her action in confusion.
“Kraush is back!”
“Really?”
Just then, the distant whispers of the other kids reached them.
Dalia stared at Bianca, astonished.
Bianca had heard what was happening, just because it concerned Kraush.
“Dalia.”
Suddenly, Bianca turned with a resolved expression.
Dalia understood the implication of that look and nodded.
“When your fiancé is back, we should go check it out.”
As soon as she heard that, Bianca began to run.
Despite wanting to see him so much, she was acting all nonchalant about it, which was almost comical.
Kraush had reportedly stopped by the Special Class Hall right after arriving.
Dalia visualized a little white chick flapping its wings, trying its hardest to keep up.
However, moments later, Bianca’s pace began slowing down as they approached the Special Class Hall.
Seeing this, Dalia tilted her head in confusion.
She turned to look where Bianca was gazing.
Standing there was a boy with dark blue hair, just as the children had said.
He seemed a bit more mature than before, definitely Kraush Balheim.
But that was not the issue.
Kraush’s predicament was special right now.
In front of him was a girl indeed.
A girl with black hair mixed with purple.
Her name was Haring Lagrain.
The daughter of the Poison King Lagrain.
The problem was that she was hugging Kraush tightly.
And her face looked like she was on the verge of tears.
Dalia’s gaze slowly moved sideways.
Upon seeing Bianca’s expression, she quietly turned her head away.
‘What a mess!’
Bianca’s eyes were the scariest she had ever seen.
