"You know," Adam smiled, taking Silvana by her hand. "After living my whole life at the Upper Ring I never really thought about it. I didn't beco a Phantom very long ago, but I'm glad I had the ti to get to know Silvana better and stay with her forever."
The embarrassed Silvana said nothing but turned aside with a red face and nodded deeply.
"Hmm?" Orel raised an eyebrow. "You beca a Phantom not too long ago? Wait... How many years ago did you get your Spark?"
In an instant, all eyes went to Adam, three interested and one concerned from Silvana. Risha, Misa, and Orel were curious to know when Adam beca a Phantom.
"What?" Risha frowned. "My brother has told you so much and you can't share that kind of information with us? Just tell us when it happened!"
Adam scratched the back of his head, smiling awkwardly. "Well, I don't mind, but Orel asked the wrong question."
"Hmm? What does that an?"
"From the mont I beca a Phantom, the mont I killed my first monster, it hasn't even been a year yet. It'll be one year in a couple of months, but for now, the situation is as it is..."
Misa and Risha's eyes went wide ready to fly out of their orbits.
"W-Wait!" Risha jumped up slamming her palms on the table. "You're lying! How the hell is that possible?! I couldn't lose to a Phantom who isn't even one year old! We consider such people to still be rookies!"
Now, Adam was baffled. The reason was that Risha looked young. She wasn't younger than Adam, but the difference between her and Misa or Silvana was noticeable.
"Take your ti," Adam stopped her with a wave of his hand. "How many years ago did you beco a Phantom? You look my age, maybe one year younger and I'm not sure about that."
Risha narrowed her eyes, staring at Adam.
"Five years ago! I killed Phantom five years ago when I was twelve!"
Now, a wave of shock covered Adam and Silvana while Misa, Orel, and Risha appeared confused.
Silvana tilted her head. "So... Risha is the Natural Phantom, just like Adam, right?"
"Agh? What the hell is she talking about?" Risha snorted.
Everyone turned to Orel who was still holding the puzzles. He seed to be the only one who could explain everything.
"I see... You, the Light Phantoms are unaware of this," Orel smiled bitterly, shaking his head. "However, my stupid little sister doesn't know about it either."
Then, Orel folded back in his chair folding his hands together.
"At the Lower Ring, the Artificial Phantoms are practically nonexistent."
Risha opened her mouth in confusion. "The Artificial Phantoms? Brother, what the hell is that?"
How stunned Silvana and Adam were was hard to convey. Even though it was a secret at the Upper Ring, the nobles, high-ranking military officers, and the governnt knew about the Artificial and Natural Phantoms.
It was not uncommon for it to be the dividing line of potential and opportunity between one Phantom and another. Being the Artificial Phantom was not the end, Katrin proved that and many other capable fighters, but it had its advantages and its price.
Orel looked at Risha. "To answer your question, at the Upper Ring, they divide the Phantoms into two categories. One for most, is the Artificial Phantoms. These are the Phantoms who got the Spark, then the governnt helps them kill their first monster and they beco Phantoms - receiving their Evolution Tree."
If Risha's jaw could it would crash to the floor.
"WHAT? The governnt is helping them? They just wait and beco Phantoms?!" she slamd her palms down on the table. "How is that even a thing?!"
Her shocked voice echoed around the room. If there were other Phantoms from the Lower Ring here, they would share her reaction.
"Well..." Orel tapped the table. "Being the Artificial Phantom has its drawbacks. The chances of a natural appearance of the Spark are pretty low, and in many aspects, the Artificial Phantoms are inferior to the Natural Ones."
"The Natural Phantoms?" she muttered.
"Basically it's you, , and 99% of all Phantoms of the Lower Ring. Nothing new for you here Risha. Unfortunately or not we have no such division."
"But..." Adam stamred. "How is that possible? Are almost all of the Phantoms at the Lower Ring the Natural Ones? That sounds crazy."
"Yeah, to you. But it's true. When I learned of the difference between our rings in this matter I was as dazed as you are. We people at the Lower Ring don't have ti to wait for the 16-18-year period when the Spark might appear. That's too long."
With a heavy sigh, Orel put one foot on the other.
"Only the children of the few wealthy families at the Lower Ring can afford to beco an Artificial Phantom. They are not mbers of the Four Beasts, it is forbidden here.
"Rich parents take care of their children and don't send them into deadly battles against monsters. Apparently, because of the small odds, only so people get the Spark. It happens the sa way you do, at the Upper Ring."
Orel's eyes grew deeper as if he were looking sowhere far beyond their room.
"It happens extrely rarely and it is well hidden. For this reason, at the Lower Ring, very few people know that there are two different kinds of Phantoms. We only have one kind, with no special term. We are simply Phantoms, but in fact, almost all Phantoms at the Lower Ring are the Natural Phantoms."
"So..." Adam muttered in a quiet voice. "You, Risha, and the other Phantoms, even those three thugs, killed your first monster before you were sixteen. When you were teens, right?"
"Indeed," Orel nodded deeply. "You look shocked. You did the sa thing, didn't you?"
"Yeah, but..." Adam scratched his cheek. "At the Upper Ring, it's a great mystery and rare. Hah, it turns out that although there are fewer Phantoms at the Lower Ring, you're stronger on average, even on a genetic level."
Orel spread his hands to the side.
"That's a complicated and long conversation. Maybe you're right, maybe you're wrong, but..." he held out his hand taking the puzzles, "This... We're not done with them."
"Then..." his eyes flashed. "I have a deal for you, Adam Vinter."
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