Affinity:Chaos

Grey stared at the vast landscape ahead of him, from now on, he would have to journey alone. Although having company was great, he still enjoyed being alone in places like this. After taking a deep breath, he set off towards the eastern part of the trial lands.

'I'll increase my strength first before I start exploring the place. I should be able to breakthrough within two days'.

He sensed it wouldn't take up to two days before he breaks through, so he decided to first breakthrough before he heads out since it was always better to increase your strength in places like this.

In this aspect, he slightly felt envious of Klaus. If he had been the one to refine the ice river source, he would definitely have been able to awaken his water element, and it would have been a high grade also. Not just that, but he would have also gotten a higher boost in strength compared to Klaus since awakening a new element will naturally give him an upgrade, added with the essence in the ice river source.

But since it was beneficial to his friend, he wouldn't fight over it with him. It would be great if Klaus would be able to breakthrough given his stage was the lowest among them all. He located a cave not too far from the palace, after confirming it was safe, he immediately started his cultivation.

Later the next day…

"Huuuu"

Grey who was seated crossed leg breathed out a turbid air, after almost a day and half, he had successfully broken through to the Eighth stage of the Arcane Plane, and he could clearly feel the difference in his overall strength. Sending his spiritual energy inside his body, he saw the chaotic form of his essence orb which had three different colors. Getting to this stage, he suddenly remembered what he read about breaking through to the Origin Plane.

On getting to the peak of the Arcane Plane, the essence orb in the body of the Elementalist will transform into a bead that will settle in the dantian. The bead is usually one, but in the case if Dual Elementalists, they have two different beads since they have two different elements. Since he currently had three elements, he would form three beads when he breaks through to the Origin Plane.

He hoped he could awaken a fourth element before he breaks through to the Origin Plane. He felt he wasn't far from awakening both the water and fire elements since he had been comprehending them for a long time now when he didn't try to comprehend either of his three elements. Now, it was time for him to explore this place, if he's lucky, he might be able to break through to the Ninth stage within the next two weeks. If not, it will take him one month.

Calculating the time, he had spent almost three weeks here. He still had over five months left, there was a good chance he might reach the Mid-stages of the Origin Plane before he leaves this place.

Grey got to his feet and walked out of the cave, it was already starting to get dark when.

'I should get something to eat first. I'll think of what to do after that'.

He lightly patted his stomach, during the time they spent in the palace, he didn't eat anything, and he immediately started cultivating after leaving the place. This was the longest he had gone without eating, and although it hasn't started to affect him since Elementalists at the Arcane Plane could easily go over a month without eating, he just enjoyed eating.

Before long, he appeared in a place that looked like a garden.

"I've struck gold"

Grey's eyes lit up as he stared at the garden in front of him. The garden stretched to at least two hundred meters in length and width. There were some plants and fruits he recognized there. If he could refine a good amount , forget about one month, he would be able to break through to the Ninth stage within a week.

"Hahaha, I knew my luck wasn't bad"

Grey laughed out loud as he immediately ran towards the garden. Just as he was about to enter, he suddenly stopped.

"This place should usually have beasts around since it has abundant resources"

He calmed his excited heart and carefully surveyed the area, if he carelessly charges into the garden and ends up being attacked by a strong beast, it would be bad.

"Strange, how come I can't see any beast?"

Grey furrowed his brows.

He couldn't see any beast around the area the garden was. Just to be extra sure, he sent out his spiritual energy, although it couldn't cover an overly wide area, it shouldn't have a problem with covering a hundred and fifty meters. If he still doesn't sense any beast, he'll immediately start harvesting.

Another three minutes passed and he still didn't sense any beast, he sent out his spiritual energy three more times to be extra sure before he ran into the garden.

"Haha, a Scarlet Blood Fruit. This place is heaven"

Grey happily plucked the five fruits which were on the tree. These fruits had the unique property of increasing the strength of an Elementalist in a short period of time, they were very rare, and he never expected to find them here. They also had a very faint trace of fire element in them, maybe they might just be what he needed to awaken his fire element.

The garden had different rare plants and fruits he had read about. There was a lot he wasn't familiar with though, but it didn't stop him from collecting them. He was still stuffing his bag when he suddenly heard a noise.

On lifting his head, he saw the head of a bunny popping out from the ground. The bunny twitched its nose like they usually do.

"Huh! Bunny?"

He was slightly taken aback seeing a bunny popping out of the ground, he was stunned by its size though. The bunny Chris had at the valley was only about half a meter tall, but when this one fully emerged from the ground, it was well over a meter in height.

The most surprising thing was its cultivation level, the bunny was already in the Seventh stage of the Arcane Plane.

"Who knew bunnies could cultivate to this stage. Well, you, my friend, came at the perfect time. With these plants, I'll be able to make a great bunny soup"

Grey said happily as he strutted towards his presumed prey.

Just as he got within ten meters of the bunny, he suddenly caught sight of a movement from the side of his eyes.

Pop!

Another bunny popped out from the ground, this one was also in the Seventh stage just like the first one.

"Two bunnies, not bad"

Grey nodded with a smile.

Given his current increase in strength, he didn't have anything to fear in the Arcane Plane any longer, even Alice might not be able to defeat him anymore. Facing two bunnies wouldn't be too much of a hassle, the only thing he felt regretful about was the fact that he could only kill one since there was no way for him to store the other one.

Taking another step, he suddenly froze in place. A series of popping sounds echoed over the place.

Pop! Pop! Pop!…

Looking around, Grey's hair stood on end. Over one hundred bunnies popped out of the ground, and the one with the lowest stage was at the Sixth stage of the Arcane Plane. There were even three who were in the Ninth stage.

The bunnies all looked at him with angry eyes, it was like he had taken something that belonged to them.

Grey stood on the spot staring at the bunnies, the bunnies all stared back at him. It was like he was in a sea of bunnies. Surrounded from all angles, escaping was not going to be easy.

Squeal!

One of the three bunnies at the Ninth stage screech and raised one of its paws pointing it at Grey. With a fierce light in its eyes. Although Grey couldn't hear or speak bunny, he was able to understand what the bunny said. It was one word 'attack'.

Squeal!

The other bunnies reciprocated and just like a moving tide, they all dashed towards the still stunned Grey. The current posture of the bunny was too cute, so he couldn't help but stare a little longer. He was quickly knocked off his daze when the bunny closest to him kicked on the stomach.

"Fuck! Do they know how to fight? I thought they only knew how to bite?"

Grey swore as he immediately turned and fled.

There was no way he could fight against them, if there were only three bunnies, he might have still had plans of making soup, but now, to hell with the soup, all he wanted to do was escape from them. He managed to escape the encirclement after some time.

While he was running, he turned around from time to time to check if they were chasing him. And to his greatest surprise, they were, he thought after leaving the garden they'd let him be. But he was wrong, he almost had the urge to cry. If Klaus or Reynolds finds out he was chased by bunnies, they mock him forever.

Twenty minutes later, Grey stopped and placed his hands on a tree panting. He had to use his movement technique to escape from the bunnies, or so he thought.

He suddenly heard a loud squeal from behind him again, and just like the first time, the bunny in the Ninth stage had the posture of a general telling his soldiers to attack. But unlike the first time, Grey didn't find it cute.

"Bunnies aren't cute like everyone says"

Grey said out loud as he once again used his movement technique to flee from the area.