Detox

The manor was in an uproar after the count confirmed Riven had formed a mana heart. Dinner was swiftly forgotten about as orders were being shouted out to all the nearby servants. Riven was reassigned a new bedroom in the main wing of the manor near his siblings and now had a new handful of servants and maids under him. The count immediately sent word to the academy to enrol Riven into the new semester starting in the next month.

His stepmother seethed as she watched from the sidelines, constantly complaining about the new treatment and attention Riven was receiving.

But Riven didn't care. He didn't care that he was finally receiving the attention from his family that the former occupant of this body so desperately wanted. If his family was willing to give him any help towards becoming a mage, he would bleed them dry of everything he could.

A bath was drawn in his new adjoining bathroom and Riven dismissed his servants as he stripped and stepped into the steaming waters. A medicinal tonic was added to the water and the herbal smell filled his nose.

Substance detected… Analysing…

Detected high amounts of detoxifying potion. Do you wish to absorb this?

(Y/N)

Rivens eyebrows shot up and he grinned as he selected 'yes'.

"The system can also do things like this? I wonder if everyone else who has a mana heart can do this or if it's just me." Riven pondered as a hum began to fill the air. His mana heart began to thud furiously in his chest as a subtle heat began to radiate from it. It started slow and then began branching out through his body until it felt like every cell in his body was covered in a comfortable heat.

Beginning detoxifying process… (1%)… (2%)… (3%)…

Riven relaxed into the bath as the system began counting upwards. The heat continued in his body and after a while he noticed it began to get warmer and warmer until it started to become uncomfortable.

(42%)… (43%)… (44%)…

Riven gritted his teeth and a crackling noise began to fill the air, like the sound of flames in a hearth. Steam began to increase above the bath and a sizzling sound could be heard as the water began to evaporate from the skin of his arms that rested on top of the baths edge.

Riven grunted as it began to feel as if he was slowly being boiled alive. Was this what the medicine was suppose to be doing?

(61%)… (62%)… (63%)…

The system continued on its counting and Riven clenched his hands into fists. Of course he was stupid to expect that his path to becoming powerful would be without instances like this. He knew he would have to suffer pain and have an unbreakable will to be able to get as powerful as he wanted to.

Memories from the void and the excruciating and almost seemingly never ending pain that he endured came to the surface of his mind and he let out a humourless chuckle.

"The pain I'm experiencing now is nothing compared to what I had to go through in the void." He said hoarsely and took a shaky deep breath as the water reached boiling point and began to bubble furiously.

A yell tore through him as he felt his flesh blister and begin to tear away. The door to his bathing room burst open and he noticed the count, ember and a handful of servants rush in.

"What is happening?!" The counts yell thundered through the room but Riven ignored it. He didn't move as the detoxifying herbs ravaged his body, feeding the scorching heat inside of him.

"We must remove him from the bath," he heard his sister comment as she began to approach. "His mana heart must not be strong enough to endure the detoxifying potion. I told you he was far too weak for you to be wasting precious medicines on him."

Riven felt her approach and a large whooshing noise sounded just as another system notification popped up in front of him.

Detecting outside disturbance. 

Initiating defence procedures.

An even greater hum filled the air like an angry swarm of bees and a red bubble like sphere appeared around him and the bath.

Ember placed her hand upon it and then swiftly retrieved it as if it pained her to touch it.

"What… he already can perform defence magic?" Ember muttered confusedly more to herself than anyone else.

The count took a step forward and placed a hand on her shoulder, his shocked gaze never once leaving his son.

"He's not taking a reaction to the potion." The count said. "Look."

A yell tore through Riven again and chunks of flesh began to float in the now blood filled water.

(98%)… (99%)… (100%)…

Detoxifying process now complete.

Extracting toxins from the body.

A cold sensation swept over Rivens body and he rested his head backwards at the soothing feeling that calmed his scorching nerves. He watched as the sweat on his skin begin to increase and then turn dark and darker until his sweat turned into some sort of thick greying substance.

"Oh my god." Ember placed a hand over her mouth as she watched the grey sludge begin to fill the bath and drop to the floor. "Is that…"

"He's expelling such a vast amount of toxins at once," the count mumbled as if he couldn't believe what he's seeing. "I've only heard of this happening a few times by the royal healing mages - but even then it's rare. A mage can only expel a small portion of their toxins with each potion, especially if they are below a First Circle Mage. This is…"

The count was lost for words as he watched his son in the bath - a glint flickered in his eyes as he studied the relaxed face of Riven and it was if he was truly seeing him for the first time.

Detoxification complete. 

You have expelled all toxins in your body at this stage.

Next detoxifying process can be performed at:

Abyss Mana Heart (+1 Ring) (Rank ???)

Riven let out a sigh of relief that the process was over. His heavy eyes closed as he fought exhaustion.

"The shield is down, quickly clean and dress him. He needs to rest after that." The count commanded and Riven felt the servants surround him as they began to gently scrub the greyish sludge from his skin.

"Rest now and we will talk in the morning." The count said in a soft tone that Riven couldn't remember hearing in any of the original memories of this body. 

The count dragged a stunned Ember from the room and Riven felt like he could truly relax now without them here.

"System, am i able to ask you a question?" Riven asked in his head, not expecting a response.

I can answer you according to my preprogrammed answers.

Riven let out the breath he was holding and sent out another question, "Are you able to alert me if I become in danger?"

When the system detects an unusual amount of bloodlust aimed towards the user, the system will send an alert.

Relief swept through Riven and he finally fell unconscious. Exhausted from enduring against the potion, Riven was only able to hold long enough to ensure he would be safe whilst sleeping.

He slept more deeply than he had ever done even in his previous life.

-x-

Shouts and grunts had Riven quickly opening his eyes. He checked his surroundings and noticed he was standing atop what must have been some sort of high stone wall.

Soldiers clad in armour ran behind him as men atop a turreted tower beside him shouted out commands.

"What the hell is going on?" Riven could tell this was a dream, but nothing like he had ever experienced before.

A loud roar ripped through the air and Riven quickly ran to the edge of the wall to look down to where the noise was coming from.

"My god." He whispered as he took in the scene below him. A horde of horrifying humans were charging towards the wall, their movements distorted and unusual. As they got closer, their appearance reminded Riven of zombies, an undead monster that he had seen in countless movies and tv shows growing up.

"Fire!" A man screamed from atop of the turreted tower and Riven watched wide eyed as a glowing red circle appeared in the air. An intricate set of runes began to spread out from inside the circle and after a moment, a roaring ball of fire shot out from inside it and slammed into the approaching hoard of undead.

"Soldiers advance!" Another man yelled from down below and Riven watched stunned as row after row of armoured soldiers ran forward, each sword raised and glowing various colours. They began cutting down the undead in a rainbow of colour as each sword seemed to be empowered with different elements of mana.

"Fire!" The man from the turret cried out again and another fireball, bigger this time, flew forward and once again slammed into the frenzied hoard of undead.

Riven lifted his hand and gazed in wonder whilst asking himself, "Will I be able to do magic like that one day too?"

His mana heart thundered in response and he felt the mana begin to build in his hand. Silence filled the air and all of a sudden the undead hoards faces all snapped up to look at him.

"Oh shit." Riven whispered just as the undead let out an ungodly scream and began to swarm the wall more desperately than before. They began climbing atop each other, clawing at the wall with bloodied fingers as the knights continued to chop them down.

Riven tried to move but for some reason his feet were now sealed to the floor. He could only watch in horror as the undead continued to build a ramp from their dead bodies. The pile of decay grew larger and larger until Riven finally saw a bony grey hand grasp the walls edge.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" Riven said desperately to himself as an undead man pulled himself up and over the wall, his bloodshot eyes glaring at Riven as he approached.

"System! Wake me up, please!" Riven cried out in his mind just as the undead man stretched out a putrid hand towards Rivens face.

Suddenly, the world faded to black.

Detecting high levels of stress.

Releasing soothing enzymes into the body.

Body now entering rest mode.

Riven couldn't help but be thankful yet again for the system. He fell into a deep sleep again, and thankfully this time there was no dream.