Last Born Of The Desdemona

Chapter 308: Chapter 308: End of Opening Ceremony, Innate Evolution

Chapter 308 – End of Opening Ceremony, Innate Evolution.

[Innate, Snake of Adaptation, is evolving.]

At Mother System’s loud, chiming words, Cassius braced for the usual pain.

Once again, he was pleasantly surprised to find none. He wasn’t sure his current state could have survived it anyway.

But he seemed to be the only one spared. He could feel the raw agony his Innate was going through.

When he lifted his head, he watched the White Snake shed its skin, the old layer dissolving into pure essence, absorbed back into the world around it.

The skin beneath remained the same pristine white, though now marked with faint patterns tracing along its scaled body.

Cassius recognized the patterns instantly. The Ouroboros language, though the words themselves were impossible for him to read, as though this level of the language sat far beyond his current understanding.

The evolution process didn’t last long, ending before they were pulled back to the rocky field.

Copycat now lay flat on his back, eyes fixed on the sky above.

Cassius soon joined him, lying beside him, a refreshing sensation washing over him as his Innate’s evolution completed. He felt whole now, even more than before.

He glanced briefly at Copycat, finding him still lost in thought. He didn’t look mournful or sad, but more like he was trying to grasp something fundamental.

Cassius left him undisturbed, turning his attention instead to the panel hovering before him.

[Congratulations, Cassius Desdemona. You have evolved your Innate.]

[Innate: Snake of Adaptability.]

[Description: You are drawing closer to the very origin of your bloodline. As a result, your ability to Adapt has increased drastically in efficiency.

Additionally, Last Born, you have unlocked one Layer of your Innate.

Now, when your Adaptation to something reaches the level of Assimilation of Self, you will unlock the corresponding {Legend} tied to that Adaptation and your nature.]

Cassius grew instantly fascinated by the panel. But it wasn’t finished yet.

DING!

[Your Adaptation to Fire and Blood has reached the level of Assimilation of Self.]

[You have unlocked the corresponding {Legend}.]

[{Legend}: Of Blood and Ashes.]

The Last Born felt a subtle shift within himself. Along his back, he could have sworn he felt a sharp pain. But it passed so quickly it felt almost illusory.

’What’s happening? What even is a {Legend}?’

He recalled one of the titles carried by the First Snake, glimpsed back in that cave with his 12th ancestor was Father of Legends.

Was there a connection between the two? Highly likely. Obvious, even.

Still, that didn’t answer his question.

But once again, Cassius wasn’t given time to dwell on the meaning of {Legends} before Mother System continued, a strange panel flickering and blinking rapidly.

He frowned, squinting to read it more clearly.

[The First Snake hisses with interest.

HIS eyes remain closed, HIS magnificent, world-ending body still unable to move, but HE could sense you, Last Born.

And as the First Forbidden Child of the World of Sunu Gaal, HE has been permitted to send you a message.

Here is HIS message, Last Born. Listen well.

’This echo of yours is taking an interesting turn, O Bearer of my Legacy. My Last. Our Last.’

Mother System is watching you, Cursed Villain of Desdemona.]

And with that, everything ended, Mother System’s panel vanishing.

Cassius lay there, still trying to make sense of what he’d just read.

’Echo?’ He thought, confused, ’Bearer of my Legacy?’

First, he hadn’t even known it was possible to send messages through Mother System. He assumed only beings of extraordinarily high existence were permitted such a thing.

Second...Echo?

Thoughts raced through his mind endlessly. He tried to piece together the meaning behind the message, but without context...it was practically impossible to guess.

What could he possibly deduce from one vague sentence?

He clicked his tongue after a moment and decided instead to focus on understanding {Legends}, and what exact power Of Blood and Ashes had granted him.

It was right then that the battlefield began fading, the illusion dissolving completely.

In an instant, Cassius and Copycat found themselves back on the rocky field, the first and second years, along with spectators like Aaron, Nicole, and Cassandra, watching from the side.

The others were back as well, Klaus and Love still tangled together, Georgina and Omm lying side by side nearby.

The latter arrangement didn’t last, though, as Meadow and Jeanne rushed over and pulled Omm away from Georgina with visible urgency and nerves.

The two women exchanged a glance, each recognizing the same fear reflected in the other’s eyes. Under different circumstances, either might have threatened or cursed the other by now, but after the incident with Jeanne’s episode, Meadow had chosen to follow Cassius’s advice.

She’d decided to make an effort to actually know Jeanne. And Jeanne, grateful for Meadow’s help, was trying in turn not to be openly hostile toward her.

But that shift in their relationship didn’t erase the fact that each of them remained ready to do whatever it took to be with the man they loved.

And the last thing either wanted, in that moment, was another rival.

ChinChin, meanwhile, ran toward the unconscious Atomic, sobbing as she hugged him as though he were dead. He was simply unconscious. But any excuse to hug Atomic was a good one, as far as she was concerned.

Her companions watched, expressions twisting in disgust at the sheer intensity of ChinChin’s affection.

Back to the final battle, every student involved had been wounded, all of them carried off to the Health Center.

Cassius was placed beside Sarah, whose condition had improved significantly, her right eye now bandaged.

He turned his head toward her, looked at her, and smiled through the pain,

"Good to see you, Sarah. Hurt bad, or hurt good?"

"Hurt good." Sarah said with a demure chuckle, "You?"

"Hurt good, because you hurt good."

"You is gentle." Sarah followed.

"You is strong." Cassius said, "Me happy see you fighting. Me very proud."

Sarah’s smile deepened. Beautiful enough it might have knocked Raven unconscious.

She looked at Cassius intently, remembering the day he’d come to the Royal Palace, the day he’d recruited her.

Time had passed since then, and so much had happened.

Now here she stood, somewhere she never imagined she’d be, having done things she never believed herself capable of, smiling in a way she’d once believed she didn’t deserve to.

Her heart swelled with gratitude, her one good eye welling with tears. But before they could fall, she turned her head away, ashamed to let Cassius — her master, her Blessed, her Angel of Salvation — see them.

Cassius chuckled and said nothing, closing his eyes again, waiting for the healing to take hold.

Sarah had come a long way.

While all of this unfolded, the teachers watched from a distance.

They listened to the excited chatter of students discussing the battle between the two Palatines, the astonishing level of power Cassius had displayed.

But more than that, they discussed the final stretch of their fight, where the two had begun copying each other until they were copying something even they couldn’t fully comprehend.

Both Palatines were monsters, all of them agreed.

But the other first-years hadn’t been forgotten either.

They discussed Klaus’s incredible wind affinity. Love’s runes that had taken down Atomic.

They discussed Natalia’s Mirror affinity, stronger than any Glasscion they’d ever witnessed. And Keisha Silver, the sweet, innocent girl none of them had expected to reveal such ferocity in battle, wielding frost and mist with deadly precision.

And finally, Omm Min Jambar, the commoner. Someone no one had known before, but everyone knew now.

He was the one who’d resisted the Whore’s overwhelming Lust Domain, defeating her alone, without any help.

Each of these first-years was extraordinary...and more than a little frightening.

Teachers and students alike began to understand why this generation had earned the name Golden Generation.

Slowly, whispers began circulating across the rocky field.

Whispers about titles for each of them.

Some whispers grew louder than others, those were those destined to be recognized in the Named Men category.

And once again, Cassius Desdemona earned himself another title.

He’d been known as Angel during the Entrance Test.

Then Bloody Devil, courtesy of the Watcher and the teachers, for reasons only they knew.

Now he was becoming known as Skyburner, for his ridiculous stunt of setting the sky ablaze and melting the clouds.

And as the debate wore on, a real problem emerged...

"Now we need to decide which title actually sticks!"

...well, that was indeed the problem. No consensus emerged despite extensive back-and-forth.

Which eventually led everyone to settle on one title:

"White Snake."

White, for his achingly white hair, pristine even in the heat of battle.

Snake, because no one could ever quite predict which version of Cassius they’d face next.

And just like that...

"...White Snake, huh." Cassius muttered lazily, then smiled, eyes closed, "Better than Angel, at least."

"Winner: First Year, with a score of 3-1!!!!"

—End of Chapter 308—