ã€ŠCollect The Worldã€‹


 Collect The World - Book 1 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1

    Human Domain, Adira.

    As one of the core regions of the human civilization, Adira was home to some 400 million humans and famed for its trade and commerce. In a recent edition of a popular magazine targeting tourists, Adira was ranked second in a list of the top 10 safest regions for humans. Rifts posed some danger, but adventurers conquered Adira¡¯s Rifts lifetimes ago, commercializing and publicizing all their information.

    Near Adira¡¯s eastern border lay a cluster of Rifts for adventurers above level 100. Here, a transparent barrier surrounded an unusual forest. Each tree had red-vein-like patterns, with smoldering embers as leaves. The temperature was so hot you could cook an egg on a rock. This place was a Rift called the Crimson Howler Den and home to human-sized wolves. They usually roamed in packs and were notoriously difficult to handle.

    At this moment, on the outskirts of the forest in a large clearing, two elven girls in their late teens fought against a pack of Crimson Howlers. Flames covered the wolves¡¯ bodies as they darted around, attacking and retreating in tandem. Fireballs, fire pillars, and fire rings were all spells at their disposal, yet even with such an explosive arsenal, they couldn¡¯t take down the elven twins.

    Annallee, the older twin, jumped, twisted, and spun around as her duel short swords sliced through the wolves'' bodies. Her waist-length silver hair trailed behind her as she chained one movement into the next, eclipsing the wolves in both agility and speed. Her silver eyes were cold as she fought.

    Elora, on the other hand, fought in a completely different manner. While still sharing the same features as her sister, except that her hair only reached her neck, she swung around a spiked club like a barbarian, all while sporting a sadistic grin. Strangely, her attacks left no wounds on the wolves, yet they collapsed and writhed on the ground, all while squealing like pigs.

    Elora¡¯s skill set was unique. Her attacks didn¡¯t inflict damage but instead healed. No matter how powerful or sharp the weapon, it only served to increase the amount restored. Unfortunately for others, her attacks came with a +300% pain modifier. Elora found this to be a positive, however. While healing enemies seemed counter-intuitive, the pain accompanied by her attacks incapacitated most monsters, after which Annallee ended their lives.

    It was like this the twins wiped out the wolves one by one without much of a fight. Each kill gave experience and loot, but as they used Monster Bait earlier, they didn¡¯t have the time to pick up the drops, so the battlefield was littered with items.

    [Rare] Monster Bait

    Description: An enchanted candle with the ability to attract monsters within a 1,000-foot radius. Lasts 30-minutes and disappears after use.

    As the two girls fought without end, not even a hundred feet from the battlefield, sat Keith, a teenage boy. With cyan-colored hair, two bangs in front, a low ponytail in the back, two stripes of orange and yellow on the left, and a clipped-on accessory with colorful feathers on the right, his hair was a work of art. The white silk robes with cyan borders, spotless white boots, and exotic sash spoke volumes about Keith¡¯s sense of style.

    As for his face, his eyes matched his hair color, while his eyebrows were sharp and jaw straight. Currently, the boy reclined on a fancy chair underneath a magic umbrella with the ability to cool its surroundings. As the elven twins fought hard, Keith relaxed comfortably and casually interacted with a rectangular object in his lap. Commonly known as a tablet, the magical device weighed no more than three pounds and was as thin as a butterfly¡¯s wing.

    Keith¡¯s tablet was one of the few mythic grade tablets on the market and cost an absurd number of gold coins, but it didn¡¯t even enter the list of his top 10 most expensive items. Even with that being the case, it was something Keith couldn¡¯t live without.

    Right now, thousands of miles from the nearest city, Keith could reliably connect to the magic network at his leisure. This way, he could leech a meager amount of experience from his sisters and relax simultaneously. How wonderful!

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    While the two girls fought, Keith browsed through the auction house module, purchasing and selling items so expensive it would bankrupt the average family. He¡¯d connected his warehouse back home with the tablet, so any items traded would appear there. It was simply impossible to set up a teleportation array within the handheld tablet. Usually, the items would appear at a public storage facility, where you¡¯d have to pick things up personally. A private warehouse with a teleportation array installed was something only the rich could do.

    After purchasing an epic grade sword with decent properties someone posted under market price and relisting it; Keith suddenly heard an annoying sound.

    Clack. Clack. Clack.

    Keith¡¯s ears twitched. He could ignore the wolves¡¯ yelps and squeals with no problem, but this sound was something he couldn¡¯t tolerate. Twisting in his chair, Keith looked over at a broad-shouldered man resting against a boulder. The bald, round-faced ogre of a human currently savored a jawbreaker with a content expression. Keith¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, and just as he was about to snap, he observed his Uncle¡¯s silly expression once more, then shook his head and returned his attention to his tablet.

    Just then, Keith noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned as a boy around his age passed through the water-like spatial barrier and entered the Rift. The boy had short black hair and wore leather armor, with a longsword at his hip. The teenager¡¯s expression was stern and focused as if he carried a great burden, and Keith guessed the boy was just one of those serious types. Regardless, he cast Inspect out of habit, conveniently forgetting how rude it was to do so.

    [Inspect, Rare, Level 252]

    Description: Consume 1 mana to learn information about a target. No cooldown. Information learned depends on the user¡¯s Intelligence. Details learned increase with level.

    [Zackery Turner]

    Level: 143

    Age: 18

    Titles: Stubborn, Avenger, Righteous, +3 others

    Health: 125/125

    Mana: 90/90

    Strength: 45 (+6)

    Agility: 43 (+4)

    Intelligence: 20 (+2)

    Vitality: 55 (+9)

    Endurance: 54 (+8)

    Skills: Sword Mastery, Quick Movements, Parry, +23 others

    Keith couldn¡¯t help but whistle after viewing Zackery¡¯s information. For reference, a high schooler graduated around level 75, while the average adult clocked in at level 150. To be level 143 at 18-years-old meant Zackery was among the strongest of his age group.

    But, wait, the Avenger title? Something unfortunate must¡¯ve happened in Zackery¡¯s life, Keith mused.

    Zackery surveyed his surroundings with a hand on the hilt of his sword, prepared to draw it at a moment¡¯s notice. His serious expression collapsed after locking eyes with Keith. The umbrella and expensive-looking chair stood out like a sore thumb. Then there was Keith¡¯s flamboyant outfit and hairstyle. He walked into a Rift, not a spa, right?

    After giving Keith a nod of recognition, Zackery looked past Keith¡¯s small resort to the elven twins fighting against the horde of Crimson Howlers, then back to Keith with a now irritated look. A moment later, Zackery walked over. ¡°Hello. What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Leeching experience,¡± Keith answered as he pointed to his two sisters with a smile. The three were in the same party, and as long as Keith was in range of any kill, he¡¯d gain some experience, although not very much considering he didn¡¯t provide any assistance.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Zachery took a deep breath to calm his emotions before glancing at Keith¡¯s Uncle. ¡°Is he your bodyguard, then?¡±

    Keith looked Zachery up and down, obviously noticing the disdain and irritation in the boy¡¯s expression. As someone who loved trouble, Keith responded with an arrogant tone. ¡°Wow, you guessed it, you¡¯re so smart. He¡¯s a renowned level 250 grappler hired by my family.¡± Keith then pointed to his sisters. ¡°See them? They¡¯re a pair of elves I picked up not long ago. Haha, it¡¯s nice to be rich. I just get to sit here and relax while they fight for me. Leveling up has never been easier.¡±

    At this point, Zachery looked down at Keith as if he stood on a higher pedestal. ¡°You know what? People like you make me sick.¡±

    Keith appeared shocked, then, as if understanding something, pulled out a bag of gold coins from his inventory. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re jealous. It¡¯s understandable when you compare yourself to me, haha. Here are 100 gold coins. Maybe you can upgrade a piece of equipment.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t look down on me just because you have a bit more money,¡± Zachery looked over at Keith¡¯s sisters with a pitiful look. Shaking his head, he gave Keith one last glance, snorted, then turned and made his way into the burning forest.

    Keith burst into laughter when Zachery disappeared. ¡°What an interesting guy.¡±

    Keith¡¯s Uncle spoke up at this moment with a confused expression. ¡°Little Keith, why did you say I¡¯m level 250?¡±

    Keith rolled his eyes as he responded, ¡°If he knew you were over level 400, Uncle Doven, it would give him a heart attack.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Uncle Doven blinked innocently. ¡°I don¡¯t want to give him a heart attack.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I lied,¡± Keith answered.

    ¡°Oh, I get it.¡±

    Doven resumed chewing his jawbreaker while Keith looked down at his tablet. Feeling particularly good after trolling Zachery, he thought back to the boy¡¯s ¡®Avenger¡¯ title. Now interested, Keith closed out of the auction house module and opened another one, used by the police. He had level 4 access to the police¡¯s information network thanks to his mom¡¯s connections, so he could look up Zachery¡¯s history in a matter of seconds.

    A little snooping wouldn¡¯t hurt anyone.

 Collect The World - Book 1 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2

    Keith placed the magic tablet aside a few minutes later and rubbed his forehead as he ignored the clacking sounds coming from his Uncle. To sum it up, Zachery¡¯s parents worked for the mercenary guild and took on degrading jobs such as powerleveling or bodyguarding rich brats. They funneled everything into their son¡¯s education.

    All sorts of renowned tutors trained Zachery since he was a toddler, so it was no wonder he had such stats and skills at his age. Keith guessed Zachery was at the Rare grade, meaning he could fight ten Normal grade monsters simultaneously if they were equivalent level. Since he was only 18 years old, that made him a genius.

    The System gave both monsters and items the same grading system, which went Rare, Epic, Legendary, to Mythic. The System didn''t give grades to adventurers, but society determined anyone who could defeat a monster by themselves at Rare grade or above could claim they were at the same grade as the monster defeated.

    Keith was overwhelmed with emotion after reaching this conclusion. Much like his mother, the Turners did everything they could to improve Zachery¡¯s life. It was a heartwarming story, at least, until disaster struck.

    According to the police report, the Turners wanted to hire Orland Cruz, a formidable swordmaster above level 300 who happened to have a training slot available. To pay for his fee, the Turners took a dangerous job near the demon domain. While it was currently peacetime, minor skirmishes between demons and humans still occurred. It was on this job the Turners died.

    The latest report in Zachery¡¯s profile stated he stopped going to school and has been missing ever since. That was three months ago.

    Keith took a few moments to calm down when a thought struck him. Why was Zachery out here in the wilds of Adira? This wasn¡¯t the sort of place an 18-year old adventurer should be, especially alone. And why did Zachery have the avenger title? There was no mention of the demon who killed his parents, so how could he possibly hunt the killer down?

    ¡°It can¡¯t be!¡± Keith exclaimed aloud. It was ridiculous, but maybe Zachery wanted to annihilate the entire demon race? Who did he think he was? Demons were notorious for their violent behavior, so it wasn¡¯t uncommon for other species to hate them, but they weren¡¯t pushovers. The demon civilization was one of the big three, alongside orcs and humans. For Zachery to want to eradicate them, did he think he was some hero?

    Keith couldn¡¯t imagine the sorrow and rage Zachery felt. He thought it was okay to punish the killer for their crimes, but that didn¡¯t extend to the rest of demonkind. They were innocent.

    Putting that matter aside, Keith guessed Zachery must¡¯ve been training like crazy out in the wild. It was a miracle he was still alive, but Keith felt it was only a matter of time before Zachery died.

    Sighing, Keith wondered if he should help.

    His mother was a drinking buddy with Adventurer University''s headmaster. As humanity¡¯s number one school, it only accepted the best of the best. The minimum requirement for entry was to be Rare grade. Unfortunately, Keith guessed Zachery lacked the connections to register.

    All Keith had to do was mention Zachery¡¯s situation to his mom. The problem was, what if Zachery became strong enough to massacre the demon race to satisfy his vengeance? Keith didn¡¯t feel comfortable with that, yet he couldn¡¯t just leave the guy to die out here in the wild now that he encountered him.

    ¡°Hey, Lil¡¯ Bro.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    An angelic voice pulled Keith away from his thoughts. Startled, he looked up and found Annallee and Elora standing next to him. When Annallee saw she had Keith¡¯s attention, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Just a small problem.¡± Keith shook his head. ¡°Are you done fighting?¡±

    ¡°Yep!¡± Annallee stretched her arms. ¡°It was a good workout.¡±

    Keith rolled his eyes at her remark. Only a barbarian would think slaughtering a horde of monsters for an hour was a workout. She was an elf, wasn¡¯t she? Why couldn¡¯t she be more gentle?

    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Annallee suddenly squeezed Keith¡¯s shoulder with a dangerous glint in her eyes.

    ¡°Ow, ow, ow!¡± Keith squirmed in his chair. Sure enough, her strength rivals barbarians.

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Annallee pulled back her hand after realizing she used too much power.

    At this moment, Elora gently tugged at Keith¡¯s robe. To this, Keith smiled warmly at Elora with brotherly love. Look how kind and sweet Elora was. Compared to a certain barbarian who shall not be named, it was day and night.

    Elora pointed at her clothes covered in sweat and wolf blood. He immediately knew what she wanted. Sporting a grin, Keith activated one of the rings on his fingers. Although you couldn¡¯t tell, he currently wore a complete set of equipment, including ten rings, two earrings, and a necklace. Keith usually set his combat equipment to invisible, or else nobody could see his outfits. Even so, they still gave their effects.

    [Epic] Cleanliness Ring

    Description: Grants the wearer the ¡®Purify¡¯ spell while equipped.

    [Purify]

    Description: Consume 5 mana to clean everything within 10-feet. 1-minute cooldown.

    A gentle pulse covered everything within 10-feet of Keith. Like snow under the sun, the blood and sweat covering the twins dissipated into nothing. Even their hair and skin shined with a brighter glow as if they had turned a year younger.

    While the Cleanliness ring provided no combat power whatsoever, it was just as rare as a legendary grade weapon. Rich and powerful women purchased any that popped onto the market. Keith would¡¯ve bought two for his sisters, but it was only by luck he managed to grab the one he had. It wasn¡¯t because he loved having them ask for help. Definitely not.

    ¡°Who was that guy earlier? He seemed hostile,¡± Annallee asked after inspecting her armor with a satisfied nod. At her side, Elora squinted, appearing interested.

    ¡°Oh, you won¡¯t believe this-¡° Keith was just about to share what he learned about Zachery when a giant fireball exploded some forty feet from where they were. Dirt and dust flew everywhere as Keith¡¯s party looked over.

    ¡°Speak of the devil,¡± Keith exclaimed as he watched Zachery sprint out of the hellish forest at full speed, followed by a monstrous wolf the size of an ogre.

    [Epic, Elemental, Rift Boss] Enkindled Wolf King ¨C Level 150

    Health: 500/500

    ¡°He aggroed the Rift Boss?!¡± Keith jumped off the chair, now fully alert. Unlike the wolves Annallee and Elora fought earlier, flames covered this wolf from head to toe while its mane burned yellow with tendrils of fire coiling high into the air.

    As for Zachery, he had a massive bite mark across his left shoulder, below which his arm dangled helplessly. His chest armor was missing, most likely dissipating after its durability hit zero. Whatever mediocre gear he had on couldn¡¯t withstand the attack power an Epic Rift Boss could unleash.

    Zachery noticed Keith¡¯s party shortly after exiting the forest. If he stayed on his current path, he¡¯d run straight into them. Zachery could offload the aggro to Keith, someone he detested, but he chose not to. Clenching his teeth, Zachery changed directions, although the decision shorted the distance between him and the Rift Boss.

    The Rift Boss howled and waved its front claw, sending out five arcs of red flame, which slashed across Zachery¡¯s exposed back. Keith watched as Zachery tumbled, followed by the Rift Boss pouncing. At that moment, Keith shouted. ¡°Uncle Doven, save him!¡±

    Just before the Rift Boss¡¯s jaws snapped shut, Uncle Doven casually picked up a pebble, glanced over, then swung his arm. A sonic boom knocked Keith backward as his chair and umbrella tumbled about. Annallee caught him from behind as he watched the upper half of the wolf¡¯s body explode.

    The Rift Boss died instantly as its body dissipated into particles of light. A shower of items fell onto Zachery, who groaned in pain when a helmet smacked against his head.

    Uncle Doven resumed enjoying his jawbreaker after finishing his task, not interested in the loot at all.

    ¡°Quick, Elora. You have a patient to heal!¡± Keith sprinted off towards Zachery as Elora¡¯s eyes sparkled. She withdrew her spiked club and followed after her brother, her smile as clear as day.

 Collect The World - Book 1 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3

    Keith pushed away the items covering Zachery as the boy gasped for breath and noticed a pool of blood on the ground. No doubt the gashes on Zachery¡¯s back were bone-deep. A quick use of Inspect showed Zachery¡¯s Health dwindling rapidly, mainly from two bleeding debuffs. Keith calculated Zachery¡¯s remaining Health together with the bleed damage and deduced Zachery only had 40 seconds to live.

    Natural Health regeneration was excruciatingly slow in this world, with healing potions as rare as dragon scales. People with healing abilities were even rarer, yet today Zachery was in luck.

    Elora slid to a halt next to Keith as he patted Zachery¡¯s cheek to keep him conscious. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t blame me for what happens next.¡±

    Zachery clenched his hands, his face pale white. At this moment, Elora raised her spiked club. Zachery¡¯s eyes widened as he let out a hollow laugh. ¡°You want to get some experience from killing me? Why am I so unlucky?¡±

    Ignoring Zachery¡¯s misunderstanding, Keith stepped back and covered his ears just as Elora slammed her weapon smack dab onto the middle of Zachery¡¯s face. The spikes on the club pierced Zachery¡¯s skin, yet through the miracle of Elora¡¯s innate gift, the damage converted into healing. To improve her ability even further, the spiked club had a bleeding attribute. What would have been a few red holes instead became glowing green ones.

    The bite marks on Zachery¡¯s shoulder and gashes on his back closed at an alarming rate. Elora restored 40% of Zachery¡¯s Health in one attack, yet no gratitude came from his lips, only a terrifying shriek. Zachery¡¯s limbs flailed about as bone-piercing pain coursed through his body. Never before had he felt such agony.

    Keith grew queasy as he watched Zachery squirm on the ground like a worm. He took a look at Elora and shuddered when he saw her eyes squinting in delight. Why were his sisters so weird?

    Elora¡¯s face brightened when she realized one wack wasn¡¯t enough to heal Zachery to full Health. Delighted, she once again raised her tool of evil above her head.

    ¡°No, wait, stop!¡± Zachery, now in better shape, saw what was about to come and made a run for it, but he was too slow. Just as he turned to flee, Elora¡¯s club whipped him across the side of his head and slammed him to the ground.

    Elora smiled widely at the satisfying blow yet was disappointed to find she knocked her patient unconscious. Sadly, she couldn¡¯t hear more screams. Keith stepped back in horror when Elora turned her gaze towards him. ¡°Hey, why are you looking at me?¡±

    At this moment, Annallee arrived after walking over. She looked down at Zachery. ¡°Is this guy an idiot? Why would he try fighting the Rift Boss alone?¡±

    Keith calmed down and answered. ¡°Maybe he accidentally encountered it?¡±

    ¡°No way,¡± Annallee shook her head confidently. ¡°The Rift Boss here doesn¡¯t leave its nest. Its territory is an open clearing, so it''s easy to avoid.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right, you killed this fella a few months ago, huh?¡± Keith vaguely remembered Annallee mentioning such a thing.

    Keith scratched his head and ventured a guess. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I think it''s because he has the avenger title.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Annallee turned to Keith in shock. Seeing her reaction, Keith explained everything he had learned about Zachery.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    A few minutes later, Annallee had tears in her eyes. She walked up to Keith and fiercely shook him back and forth. ¡°Keith, you have to help him!¡±

    Keith grew dizzy and replied helplessly. ¡°Okay, okay, I will, alright? Just stop shaking me.¡±

    As Keith swayed back and forth, Elora picked up a large oval egg from the pile of loot. Flame patterns covered its surface, giving it an exotic appearance. Elora gave it a once-over before tossing it to Keith, who exclaimed in delight. ¡°Wow, jackpot! A Rift Boss monster egg dropped.¡±

    Annallee pursed her lips. ¡°Oh, now it drops, but not when I kill it?¡±

    Keith ignored the pouting Annallee and inspected the item.

    [Monster Egg] Enkindled Wolf King

    Description: The monster egg of a level 150 Rift Boss. Infuse 200 mana to hatch.

    ¡°Oof, it¡¯ll eat 200 mana?¡± Keith groaned. He needed to feed the monster egg in one go else his progress would reset. Keith could do it with his current equipment, but it would take him a few days to recover the loss at the rate he regenerated Mana. That was fatal to any combat-oriented adventurer. Thankfully, he wasn¡¯t one.

    Keith placed his palm against the egg and funneled his Mana inside. A transparent screen showing his progress appeared.

    Mana Infused: 0/200

    The gauge filled in seconds as a significant portion of Keith¡¯s Mana disappeared. With a crack, the egg burst apart as a red light flew into Keith¡¯s chest. A mysterious connection formed between him and the newly hatched monster pet.

    Already familiar with how monster pets worked, Keith viewed the pet¡¯s information instead of greeting the pet. If its stats or appearance weren¡¯t good, he¡¯d keep it in his warehouse or sell it.

    [Monster Pet, Epic] Enkindled Wolf King ¨C Level 150

    Combat Form: Possesses 43% of the original¡¯s stats and the following skills: Fireblast, Flame Swipe, Lesser Fire Immunity.

    ¡°Shoot!¡± Keith smacked his lips in disappointment and lamented his bad luck. ¡°It only inherited 43% stats and three skills.¡±

    ¡°How unlucky.¡± Annallee patted Keith on the shoulder. ¡°With those stats and skills, it isn¡¯t worth the mana cost. You¡¯re better off summoning a Rare grade monster pet with good rolls on its inheritance.¡±

    While Keith got a Rift Boss monster egg, it didn¡¯t mean he¡¯d get a Rift Boss level monster pet. It depended on luck. In this case, the monster pet inherited 43% of the original¡¯s stats, a low roll considering the highest percentage was 100%. It could¡¯ve inherited more skills as well.

    Although the monster pet was pretty much useless to him, he didn¡¯t give up hope. To Keith, it didn¡¯t matter how powerful a monster pet was. What mattered was how cool it looked!

    If the monster was too ugly, sell it. If the item was too tacky, trash it. Did the colors match Keith¡¯s outfit? Did it ooze awesomeness? It had to be impactful, unique, and, most importantly, stylish!

    And so, with bated breath, Keith summoned the monster pet. After a flash of light, the Rift Boss that almost killed Zachery reappeared next to Keith, though unfortunately, it lacked the flaming mane the original had due to its 43% inheritance. Without it, the coolness factor dropped considerably.

    ¡°What did I expect,¡± Keith sighed in disappointment and unsummoned the pet.

    At this moment, Elora tugged at Keith¡¯s sleeve and pointed to the pile of loot. Keith shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s all yours.¡±

    Elora clapped her hands in delight before shoving all the items into her inventory. She¡¯d list it on the auction house later to make some money.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s head home!¡± Keith turned towards his Uncle, paused, then asked Annallee. ¡°Can you carry Zachery back?¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± Annallee responded as she picked up Zachery with one hand and placed him over her shoulder in one smooth motion.

    Keith collected his chair and umbrella before approaching Uncle Doven, who still chewed his jawbreaker with that annoying sound. Keith cringed as he spoke. ¡°Uncle Doven, can you teleport us home?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Uncle Doven nodded as he stood to his feet and stretched, towering over Keith and the others as he did so. A moment later, the orc-ogre hybrid of a man activated a ring on his finger.

    [Legendary] Teleportation Ring

    Description: Grants the user the Teleportation Gate skill.

    Teleportation Gate: Create a portal to a previously explored location within the current dimension. Mana consumed varies based on distance. Lasts 30 seconds. 30-second cooldown.

    In an instant, an oval blue watery door sprang into existence in front of Uncle Doven. After checking to make sure they weren¡¯t missing anything, Keith and the others entered the portal one after another, crossing thousands of miles in an instant.

 Collect The World - Chapter 4

    Chapter 4

    Keith¡¯s party stood on a pagoda floating on a large pond in the middle of a walled courtyard. At least three hundred exotic plants occupied the space surrounding the pond, creating a colorful scene. Hellgrass, lakefins, earthroot, skylilies, there were too many to name.

    When Keith¡¯s mom adopted Annallee and Elora years ago, he decided to make a giant garden for the two elves to relax in. Since he only bought rare plants, he needed to hire a caretaker, or else the garden would slowly die off, as it did initially.

    After teleporting back, Keith scanned the garden and found an older man tending to a jelly-like plant. ¡°Old Li, good morning!¡±

    Lifting his straw hat, the gardener turned around and gave a warm smile to Keith. ¡°Mornin¡¯, young master.¡±

    Old Li was full of gratitude towards Keith for allowing his hands to work with so many Epic and Legendary grade plants. His skills grew each day, giving him great joy.

    Upon noticing Old Li¡¯s face covered in dirt, Keith couldn¡¯t help but gently reprimand the elder. ¡°Make sure you take care of yourself and don¡¯t forget to ask Ridger if you need anything.¡±

    ¡°Of course, young master,¡± Old Li chuckled heartily before returning to his work.

    ¡°You called for me?¡± A stern voice came from the other side of the bridge leading to the pagoda.

    Keith turned and found Ridger, his mom¡¯s butler since she was a child. The man appeared middle-aged with a well-kept beard, bushy mustache, and short grey hair. Dressed in a traditional outfit befitting any butler, the man appeared both handsome and refined. Only, his outfit was too small, with his massive muscles threatening to break free from their shackles and show themselves to the world. Keith swore Ridger wore such tight clothes on purpose to highlight his strength.

    ¡°Oh, good timing. Could you prepare a room for Zachery here?¡± Keith paused for a moment, then added. ¡°Make sure he doesn¡¯t escape.¡±

    Ridger raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are you committing a crime?¡±

    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t like that,¡± Annallee answered before Keith could respond.

    ¡°Very well, then,¡± Ridger nodded, knowing Annallee would give Keith a good beating should he do anything wrong.

    After Keith¡¯s group crossed the bridge, Annallee handed Zachery over to Ridger, who asked for confirmation. ¡°How should I treat him?¡±

    Keith responded without hesitation. ¡°As a guest, he hasn¡¯t done anything wrong.¡±

    ¡°Anything else?¡± Ridger asked before he left.

    Keith thought for a moment. ¡°Mom will be back soon, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Ridger replied. ¡°How could she miss your 18<sup>th</sup> birthday?¡±

    The System granted anyone who turned 18 an ability based on their personality, aspirations, traits, or past actions. Elora¡¯s unique healing skill came from the System. To many, it was their defining skill, and Keith was looking forward to what he received. It was driving him so crazy he¡¯d been doing anything he could to distract himself, even accompanying his sisters on their morning routine.

    Thankfully, all that effort paid off. Tomorrow at dawn was around the time he turned 18. Would he get a skill? A class? A customized system? A growth item? A soul pet? There were so many possibilities.

    ¡°Let me know when he wakes up,¡± Keith said as he entered the large but humble stone mansion on the other side of the courtyard. The anticipation for tomorrow was killing him, so he hoped Zachery woke up soon and distracted him some more.

    An adorably short human maid in her early twenties waited in the main hall. When Keith entered, she clasped her hands across her stomach and bowed slightly. ¡°Young masters, your breakfast is ready.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Sounds perfect, Cami, thank you.¡± Keith¡¯s stomach rumbled at the mention of food. Annallee and Elora typically left early in the morning, so they only ate breakfast when they returned from their training.

    ¡°Hm.¡± Annallee sniffed the air. ¡°Smells like scrambled hork eggs, bacon, sausage, and toast with jam.¡±

    ¡°Spot on!¡± Cami clapped her hands as Keith rolled his eyes. He learned from school barbarians had good senses. Was his sister a pure-blood elf or a barbarian? How else could she tell what type of eggs they were from several rooms away?

    Keith followed Annallee and Elora to the dining room, after which they dug in. Annallee ate like she was in a race, refilling her plate again and again. Grease covered her mouth, which she licked off with her tongue. Elora watched on, horrified, as she delicately bit into a piece of toast. Meanwhile, Keith ate with one hand and browsed the auction house with the other.

    A while later, Annallee leaned back in her chair, rubbed her stomach, and let out a burp. ¡°Ah, that was delicious. A professional chef sure is on another level.¡±

    Hearing Annallee¡¯s belch, Elora suddenly slammed her fork down onto the table, stood up, looked at her older sister in disgust, then left the room. Watching her leave, Annallee rubbed her nose and wondered why her sister was so picky about manners.

    Keith chuckled, having gotten used to Annallee¡¯s eating style ages ago. His mom ate the same way, except with a bottle of alcohol in her hand at all times. She¡¯d be an alcoholic if her stats didn¡¯t negate the effects.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    At this time, Cami entered the room and began clearing the table. Keith took one last bite before asking. ¡°Have you settled in? It¡¯s been two weeks now, right?¡±

    Cami answered as she worked. ¡°Yes, I love it here. Boss Ridger can be a bit tough, but I can tell he¡¯s got a gentle heart.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Keith was happy for her. Two weeks ago, he found Cami looking for a job while strolling through the city, and after snooping on her history, he found she grew up in an orphanage. He hired her on the spot.

    ¡°Talking behind my back, are we?¡± A deep voice with a hint of playfulness came from the door.

    Keith looked over and smirked. ¡°Uncle Ridger, are you saying you aren¡¯t tough?¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡± Ridger suddenly flexed his arms and ripped his black coat to pieces. ¡°What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± Cami cried out in alarm from the abrupt display.

    Without a hint of shame, Ridger changed to one pose after another. ¡°Just look at my gallery of muscles. Do they look weak and soft to you?¡±

    As Ridger¡¯s muscles wriggled around like worms, Annallee exclaimed. ¡°Wow, amazing. Look at the symmetry.¡±

    While Ridger laughed heartily at her remarks, Keith finally accepted Annallee for who she was after seeing her enthusiasm. Sighing in exhaustion as if he lost something precious, he said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you accompany Uncle Ridger to his next bodybuilder competition? It¡¯ll be full of barely clothed muscle-brained men.¡±

    Annallee¡¯s eyes sparkled like stars. ¡°Is there a women¡¯s section? Can I compete?¡±

    ¡°Of course there is, my little Annallee. Love for muscles transcends gender and race. Orcs, demons, dwarves, humans, elves, male or female, there is no discrimination!¡± Ridger clasped Annallee¡¯s shoulders and preached with extreme passion. He was delighted to discover this side of his adopted niece.

    ¡°Oooh!¡± Annallee trembled in excitement from the aura exuding from Ridger.

    Seeing the flame of passion in her eyes, Ridger suddenly grew solemn. ¡°Would you like to see my training equipment?¡±

    Annallee¡¯s expression matched Ridger¡¯s as she responded. ¡°It would be my honor.¡±

    Ridger nodded, already determined to accept her as his protegee. He would impart all sorts of exercises and poses to her. Taking this chance, Ridger turned to his nephew. ¡°How about you, little Keith? You can raise your stats from working out.¡±

    ¡°No thanks.¡± Keith shook his head without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯m not going to be a fighter.¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡± Ridger already knew Keith¡¯s answer before he asked, but upon hearing Keith¡¯s response about not wanting to fight monsters, his expression grew complicated. Sighing heavily, he didn¡¯t pursue the matter and instead focused back on Annallee. ¡°Come, I¡¯ll show you my gym.¡±

    After Ridger and Annallee left, Keith rose from his seat and thanked Cami before heading towards his room on the second floor. With nothing to distract him, he began thinking about his birthday, which according to his mom, was sometime in the morning tomorrow. How many hours were left? Too many. What would he do until then? Organize his warehouse? No, that wouldn¡¯t work. He¡¯d done that a dozen times this past week and organized it to perfection.

    ¡°Let me out!¡± A familiar voice suddenly came from down the hall as soon as Keith reached the second floor.

    ¡°Oh, Zachery¡¯s awake.¡± Keith skipped over in delight, opened the door to the guest room, and came across an amusing sight. Uncle Doven currently held Zachery up with one hand, a troubled look on his face. Zachery punched Doven¡¯s chest, only to yelp in pain.

    ¡°You can¡¯t leave,¡± Uncle Doven said.

    Zachery seemed to realize he was no match for Doven, so he asked pitifully. ¡°Can you put me down then?¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Doven replied and lowered Zachery to the ground.

    Hearing the door open, Zachery glanced over and found Keith. His expression went from confused, angry, grateful, back to angry one after the other. ¡°Look, I¡¯m grateful you saved my life, but why won¡¯t you let me leave?¡±

    Keith shook his head as he sat down on a nearby chair and crossed his legs. Staring Zachery in the eye, he began. ¡°You intentionally fought an Epic grade Rift Boss as a rare grade adventurer. Could you explain why?¡±

    Zachery¡¯s anger dissipated. Was this guy concerned about him? This rich punk? Regardless, he didn¡¯t care. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because of your avenger title, right?¡± Keith watched Zachery closely as he spoke.

    Title: Avenger

    Description: Gain increased experience and skill gain when pushing yourself to your limits to achieve your goal.

    ¡°How do you know that?¡± Zachery¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You broke through my ward? What level is your Inspect skill?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m asking the questions here!¡± Keith barked, thinking it would be amusing to take on the role of a police interrogation officer. Seeing Keith¡¯s attitude, Uncle Doven cracked his knuckles threateningly.

    Zachery looked at Doven and gulped, recalling the man before him killed the Rift Boss in one blow. Realizing his situation, Zachery grabbed his head and swore.

    Keith folded his hands across his lap and ventured a theory. ¡°I was thinking, the title alone isn¡¯t enough reason to fight an Epic grade Rift Boss. Does your innate gift happen to be similar?¡±

    Asking about someone¡¯s innate gift was taboo, yet Zachery could only share his information considering his circumstance. Clenching his hands, he answered. ¡°You¡¯re sharp. When I turned 18 last month, I gained a skill which allowed me to grow exponentially faster if I fight monsters stronger than me.¡±

    Keith thought it was a miracle Zachery was still alive. Recalling Zachery¡¯s parents, his expression softened. ¡°I know what happened to your parents.¡±

    Zachery froze, then sneered. ¡°So what?¡±

    ¡°Do you want to avenge them?¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t anyone?¡± Zachery snickered sarcastically.

    Keith sighed. ¡°How would you find the person responsible? Don¡¯t tell me you want to kill every demon alive?¡±

    ¡°What are you getting at? Humans and demons kill each other all the time, don¡¯t they?¡± Zachery didn¡¯t understand why Keith was asking all these questions.

    Keith stood to his feet and looked Zachery in the eye. ¡°Did you know 99% of people with the avenger title end up dying shortly after acquiring it?¡±

    Zachery¡¯s pupils shrunk. ¡°That can¡¯t be true.¡±

    ¡°Heh,¡± Keith scoffed. ¡°Forgetting today, how many near-death experiences have you had in the past two months? Do you really believe I¡¯m lying?¡±

    Zachery had no response. His mood deflated as he collapsed onto the bed behind him. ¡°99%? Is it really so high?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, you having a similar innate gift pretty much guarantees your death,¡± Keith spoke without beating around the bush.

    Tears fell from Zachery¡¯s face. ¡°That demon took everything away from me, so why won¡¯t the System let me kill him? Why is it mocking me? It isn¡¯t fair.¡±

    Keith¡¯s heart clenched as he heard the pain in Zachery¡¯s voice. He forced a smile. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you to give up, just to change your approach. Have you heard of Adventurer University?¡±

    ¡°Who hasn¡¯t?¡± Zachery let out an empty laugh. ¡°My dream was to enter, become a strong adventurer, and repay my parents for everything they did for me.¡±

    ¡°I can get you enrolled,¡± Keith replied with confidence.

    Zachery shook his head. ¡°What¡¯s the point? They¡¯re dead.¡±

    Keith continued to try convincing Zachery. ¡°Don¡¯t you still want to find their killer? You need to be alive to do so. The university has customized Rifts, the best teachers, and state-of-the-art training facilities. Once you make a name for yourself, you can find an adventurer with an innate investigative ability and hire them to find your parent¡¯s killer. What do you say?¡±

    Zachery fell silent as he processed everything Keith said. A few moments later, he looked up and asked hesitantly, ¡°You can really get me enrolled?¡±

    Keith swiped his nose with a smug look. ¡°My mom is old drinking buddies with the headmaster.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Zachery¡¯s posture nearly collapsed from the unexpected response. He thought it was because Keith was rich.

    Renewed with resolve, Zachery stood up and voiced his confusion. ¡°Why are you helping me? We don¡¯t know each other.¡±

    ¡°Haha,¡± Keith slapped Zachery¡¯s shoulder a few times. ¡°Because I wanted to, that¡¯s all!¡±

    Before Zachery could respond, a voice shook the entire mansion. ¡°Where¡¯s my baby boy?!¡±

    ¡°Mom?¡± Keith¡¯s face lit up with joy as he sprinted out the door, leaving Zachery with a strange look on his face.

 Collect The World - Chapter 5

    Chapter 5

    A tall, slender woman stood imposingly in the center of the main hall. With no concern for her image, straps of linen straps covered her entire body except for her head. The only clothes she wore were a pair of shorts and a shirt.

    Her cyan hair reached down to her shoulders and pulsed with light as a magical gem would, while her eyebrows were thin and sharp, and there were no blemishes or any imperfections on her face. Only, the haughty expression in her eyes and her slightly raised chin put her feminine charms to waste.

    This arrogant woman was Keith¡¯s mom, Mariane.

    When Keith arrived at the top of the staircase, Mariane disappeared from her spot, appeared before her son, then tightly embraced him. After a moment, she pulled away and gently tugged at Keith¡¯s cheek. ¡°Did you miss me?¡±

    ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t make it back in time.¡± Keith shared his feelings with a relieved smile.

    ¡°Hmph.¡± Mariane pinched Keith¡¯s cheek harder. ¡°How could I miss the day you awakened?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, I was wrong,¡± Keith pleaded pitifully under his mother¡¯s bullying. ¡°I believed you¡¯d return the whole time.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± Mariane let go of Keith¡¯s cheek before looking around with a displeased glare. ¡°Where¡¯s Ridger?¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Keith facepalmed and explained what had occurred earlier.

    Mariane listened with an amused expression. ¡°Hah, that old man must be crying in joy. It¡¯ll be good for Annallee too.¡±

    She paused for a second before asking. ¡°Whose in the guest room?¡±

    Keith already knew his mom¡¯s senses were sharp, and he had no intentions of hiding anything, so he told her about Zachery and his plans. After Keith finished, Mariane couldn¡¯t help but release a helpless sigh. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll handle it.¡±

    Keith followed his mom to the guest room, after which she stopped to examine Zachery. Being stared at by such a beautiful woman, Zachery blushed. ¡°Um, hello¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Keith raged at Zachery after seeing his reaction. ¡°This is my mom, so don¡¯t get any ideas.¡±

    ¡°W-what do you mean?¡± Zachery coughed awkwardly and tried to play dumb.

    Keith wasn¡¯t fooled and tried to dissuade Zachery from having thoughts about his mom. ¡°She may look like someone who just turned twenty, but she¡¯s actuall-¡°

    Mariane abruptly grabbed Keith by the mouth to shut him up. After giving her son a fierce glare, Mariane spoke to Zachery in an arrogant tone. ¡°Brat, you¡¯re lucky my son wants to help you. With your current stats and skills, you¡¯d have a tough time gaining entry into Adventurer University.¡±

    Zachery¡¯s pride took a big blow after being evaluated as such by a gorgeous woman. Mariane didn¡¯t care as she continued. ¡°However, you¡¯re lucky you met me. I can get you enrolled, but you¡¯ll get expelled if your performance is lacking, got it?¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡± Zachery took a deep breath. ¡°I swear I¡¯ll repay this debt.¡±

    ¡°Hah.¡± Mariane broke into a smile. ¡°I like the look in your eye. Good, let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°Now?¡± Zachery blinked.

    Mariane didn¡¯t answer as she walked up to Zachery and summoned a portal before dragging Zachery inside. A few moments later, she returned before the portal disappeared and clapped. ¡°Done.¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°So fast!¡± Keith was shocked. ¡°What did you do?¡±

    ¡°Nothing much. I just talked to the headmaster,¡± Mariane giggled.

    Seeing his mom¡¯s reaction, Keith knew that she probably barged into the headmaster¡¯s home and dropped Zachery off before leaving after a few words. Well, Keith did his part. Whatever Zachery achieved was up to him. Hopefully, a few years in school would cool his head.

    Mariane glanced at Doven, who stood in place with an absentminded look as he chewed on a jawbreaker. ¡°Did Keith cause you any problems?¡±

    ¡°Mooom,¡± Keith groaned before Doven could answer. ¡°When was the last time I caused a problem?¡±

    ¡°Hmph.¡± Mariane counted with her fingers. ¡°Last month, you bought a gluttonous monster plant which almost ruined the garden. Before that, you purchased a mirror someone rigged with a spying device, and do I even need to mention the monster pet you hatched that shit all over the house?¡±

    ¡°Ahh,¡± Keith felt sad after remembering poor fluffers. ¡°He was so cute.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s beside the point.¡± Mariane slapped Keith upside the head. ¡°It¡¯s always one thing or another with you, you rascal.¡±

    At this point, Doven answered, ¡°No problems. Oh¡­¡±

    Mariane looked over. ¡°What?¡±

    Doven glanced anxiously at Keith before replying. ¡°Jawbreaker¡­¡±

    ¡°This again?!¡± Mariane grabbed Keith by the ear and pulled. ¡°Let the poor man eat his candy!¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes! I was wrong.¡± Keith¡¯s eyes watered up as he shot Doven a glare. ¡°Please let go, mom. You¡¯ll rip it off.¡±

    ¡°Think I won¡¯t?¡± Mariane tugged one last time before letting go just as her stomach released a loud grumble. She grinned. ¡°I¡¯m famished. Ridger!¡±

    Ridger appeared at the door not a few seconds after her voice shook the house. Unfortunately, as he was in the middle of showing Annallee his gym, he was shirtless and covered in sweat. ¡°Lass, what do you need?¡±

    Mariane¡¯s eyebrow twitched. ¡°Meat and beer!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have the chef start right away.¡± Ridger disappeared as fast as he arrived.

    Keith followed his mom down to the dining room. ¡°Mom, why were you gone for so many days? You never told me.¡±

    ¡°Wait until after I eat,¡± Mariane flashed a toothy grin.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the food to be ready. The whole table, enough to seat twelve people, was soon covered in empty plates. Strangely, no matter how much she ate, her stomach remained as flat as a plank.

    Mariane was on another level compared to Annallee. She¡¯d pick up a drumstick and swallow it whole, bones and all. After every bite, she never forgot to chug some beer to quench her thirst.

    Once she finished, Keith used his Cleanliness Ring to remove the grease covering his mom¡¯s face and hands, after which she stood up and stretched. ¡°Ahh, that hit the spot.¡±

    ¡°So?¡± Keith asked impatiently, wondering what his mom was so secretive about.

    ¡°Catch.¡± Mariane casually tossed a small egg-like object over.

    Keith caught the item and gave it a glance, immediately paling in fright. ¡°Mom, where the hell did you get this?!¡±

    [Mythic+] Introspection Pill

    Description: Once consumed, the user will fall into a short coma. During this time, the user will gain a deep understanding of themselves and their desires. Lasts 8 hours.

    Keith knew a bit about Alchemy. It was one of the most expensive professions in the world, requiring enormous resources to gain even a single level. From his limited understanding, a Mythic grade pill or potion required Mythic grade ingredients, and only a grandmaster could make it. There were only a few grandmasters alive, and they were all busy people. Not only that, this pill had a plus modifier, pushing it above regular Mythic grade items.

    Keith looked up at his mom, wondering how she got her hands on this item. ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors about this pill. Supposedly, only the descendants of Heroes use these. I underestimated you, mom!¡±

    Mariane snickered. ¡°It was nothing much. I only beat up monsters guarding some crappy herbs and visited an old man.¡±

    Keith¡¯s eyebrows twitched, imagining his mom bullying a grandmaster alchemist with white hair and a hunched back. On further thought, the monsters guarding Mythic grade herbs were at least Legendary grade. To think his mom was so strong. Awesome!

    Mariane chugged another bottle of beer before saying, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m a bit tired. I¡¯ll probably sleep till morning.¡±

    Keith held the pill in his hand with a determined look. ¡°I won¡¯t let you down!¡±

    ¡°Hah, what letting me down?¡± Mariane stopped before she left the room. ¡°I just want you to be happy. Don¡¯t worry about what you get.¡±

    Sighing, Keith felt things weren¡¯t so simple. If she didn¡¯t care about the quality of his innate skill, why did she expend so much effort to get this pill? His mom made it sound like it was an easy task, but she was gone for a week. Legendary-grade monsters were no joke. Plus, Ridgar¡¯s interactions with him were a bit forced over the past few months. They were hiding something from him.

    Whatever it was, Keith decided to ignore it and instead tried to pass the time. For a few hours, he watched Annallee learn from Ridger in the gym, and then he spent some time with Elora in her room. She listened to music on her magic tablet while he browsed the auction house on his.

    After what felt like an eternity, it was finally night.

 Collect The World - Chapter 6

    Chapter 6

    Keith entered his room and walked over to his wardrobe, a flat piece of exotic wood hanging on the wall. Numerous Appearance Cards, similar in shape to a playing card, lay on the wardrobe¡¯s surface. Painted on each card was a mannequin covered in clothes. Glancing around, Keith removed the only blank card and activated it. All the cosmetic equipment he wore disappeared in a flash of light before appearing on the card in his hand. Slotting the Appearance Card back into its spot, Keith used another to equip a set of pajamas.

    Finished, Keith mechanically walked over to his king-sized bed with a tight chest. He was so anxious it felt like his heart would burst. It was funny. A common sentiment among humans was innate gifts determined whether you rose or fell while simultaneously saying they didn¡¯t matter.

    Keith tried to use logic. He had access to more information than most, so he knew many famous adventurers who grew strong without powerful innate gifts. However, no matter how many times Keith reminded himself, it still didn¡¯t quell his anxiety. Although his mom said she didn¡¯t expect anything of him, he didn¡¯t want to disappoint her. He knew more than anyone how much she supported him over the years and wanted to do the same for her and everyone else dear to him.

    Thinking such, Keith climbed under the covers. Once comfortable, he withdrew the Introspection Pill from his inventory and popped it in his mouth. The pill melted immediately upon touching his tongue, turning into a floral tasting liquid before dissipating soon after.

    Moments later, Keith fell into a deep slumber. The dream which followed was incredibly vivid, far surpassing any he had before. Scenes of his life flew past, starting from his birth until now. The insignificant moments sped forward at unbelievable speeds, leaving only the most important experiences of his life.

    Keith observed it all as if he were a spectator watching from the sidelines, except that for any decision he made, the reasons for doing so became perfectly clear. It was like he viewed his decisions from top to bottom, drawing lines between cause and effect, all the way down to his core beliefs. It was a magical out-of-body experience, allowing Keith to gain a deep understanding of himself.

    Beliefs, memories, likes, dislikes, aspirations, and emotions. These intangible things were all tangled together, creating an ego, a sense of self. Most people couldn¡¯t unravel this web and see things clearly, yet the Introspection Pill was so unique it allowed just that.

    Time passed as the sun slowly rose, with its rays eventually landing on Keith through a window in his room. The natural processes of Keith¡¯s body started up, and soon enough, he awoke.

    Keith had never been so at peace. His thoughts were clear and sharp, and he felt full of motivation even though he just woke up. By habit, Keith jumped out of bed and walked over to his wardrobe. Scanning methodically, he wondered what outfit he¡¯d wear today.

    It was then he saw it.

    In the corner of his eye, a reminder that he missed a notification blinked in and out of existence. Keith froze, suddenly realizing what it represented without even opening it. With a thought, the notification flashed before his eyes.

    You acquired an innate gift: Collection Grimoire

    As soon as Keith read the words, a book popped into existence, hovering before him. Feeling a close connection with it, as if it were a part of him, he took it in his hands. The Grimoire was a few inches thick, with cyan lining its borders. On its surface were two words: Collection Grimoire.

    Overcome with emotions, Keith traced his fingers across the surface of the Grimoire. At that moment, information about his innate gift poured into his mind. Its abilities, usage, everything.

    Keith¡¯s jaw dropped, suddenly growing excited. Unlike Elora¡¯s straightforward innate gift, his was particularly complicated, but it suited him perfectly.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    Like an inventory, Keith could store things into the Grimoire. Each item stored had a corresponding value. Flipping open the Grimoire, Keith saw rows upon rows of empty boxes. Currently, the top of the page said ¡®Collection Value: 0¡¯ because there was nothing inside. Keith tapped the top of the page, after which a colossal list appeared.

    Collection Value: 1 - +1 Health

    Collection Value: 5 - +1 Mana

    Collection Value: 10 - +1 Health

    ¡­

    Collection Value: 1,000 - +1 Primary Stats

    The list was seemingly endless. Keith gasped at the implication. The more items he stored, the more stats he¡¯d gain. The only downside was that once items entered the Grimoire, withdrawing them cost money. Otherwise, he¡¯d have an inventory with infinite space.

    Keith¡¯s innate gift didn¡¯t end there.

    Flipping to another page, he saw the words ¡®Collection Points: 0¡¯. Collection Points worked similarly to Collection Value, except it was a currency. Once spent, it was gone forever. Keith looked down, finding a shop for spending his CP. At first, he rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was hallucinating. Unbelievably, the shop sold additional functions for his Grimoire!

    Material Synthesis ¨C 1 million CP

    Description: Fuse two of the same material into a material one grade higher. Mana cost varies. No cooldown.

    Material Fragmentation ¨C 1 million CP

    Description: Split a material into two materials one grade lower. Mana cost varies. No cooldown.

    ¡°Holy crap.¡± Keith sucked in a breath. Just the first two functions alone left him shaking in excitement. They were potential gold mines.

    Ores, hides, metal, cooking ingredients, and countless other items were all categorized as materials. They were the bedrock of the economy and the most traded type of item. To make money, all Keith had to do was browse the market. For example, if he found two pieces of legendary grade mithril ingot cheaper than a mythic grade mithril ingot, he could fuse the two into one and make a profit.

    Keith paused. He remembered he had to pay a fine to remove an item from his Grimoire, so he had to take that into account when considering what to fuse or split. Still, he was sure there was money to be made.

    Putting aside these two functions, he continued to browse through the shop, only stopping when something caught his eye.

    Equipment Loadout 1 ¨C 5 million CP

    Description: Unlocks one loadout.

    Loadout: Used to change into the pre-recorded set of equipment instantaneously. No mana cost. No cooldown.

    Looking up at his wardrobe covered in Appearance Cards, Keith found that this function of the Grimoire was a waste of CP. There was already an item available in the world that was cheap and easy to use, so he found this upgrade disappointing. However, when he scrolled just a bit further, his eyes nearly popped out in shock.

    Battle Loadout ¨C 100 million CP

    Description: Automatically swap to different loadouts depending on the type of attack received. No mana cost. No cooldown.

    ¡°Am I reading this correctly?¡± Keith muttered to himself. Didn¡¯t this function mean he could swap to a fire-resistant loadout if a fire monster attacked him, then to a physical resistance loadout in the next millisecond? Keith¡¯s mind rumbled at the possibilities. Depending on how many loadouts he had, he could create a loadout for every element and physical attack. He¡¯d be an absolute tank at that point.

    Keith browsed through the rest of the shop for a few minutes until he only saw restricted functions, ones he didn¡¯t have access to yet. Closing the Grimoire, Keith suddenly skipped around his room in absolute glee. ¡°Ahahahahaha!¡±

    Sometime later, he fell onto his bed and gasped for breath, not of exhaustion, but because he couldn¡¯t calm down. Keith held the Grimoire against his chest, wondering what he should do next.

    After some thinking, he figured he couldn¡¯t do anything until he gained CV. Thankfully, Keith was somewhat of a hoarder. For almost a decade, he¡¯d been accruing all sorts of items and storing them in his warehouse. Understanding this, Keith rushed out of his room and headed towards the garden. There, off to the side, was a small inconspicuous building with no windows.

    Unlike its outside appearance would suggest, the space inside was enormous, larger than even a neighborhood. Not only did it have a teleportation array hooked up to the auction house, but it also had a space array.

    It only took a moment for Keith to arrive, and as soon as he did, he burst through the door and looked around. Inside stood thousands of shelves arranged in rows, with items filling each one. There were so many items that if Keith had to organize them himself, he wouldn¡¯t have time to do anything else. To solve this problem, he purchased a few magic golems used for physical labor. After customizing their settings, they worked day and night without rest as long as they had enough Mana.

    As Keith looked at his collection of items, he felt a sense of pride well up in his chest. Rare materials, exotic monster eggs, unique equipment. Everything that caught his eye he¡¯d buy and store here.

    Sighing with emotion, Keith took a breath before raising his Grimoire and shouting, ¡°Collect!¡±

 Collect The World - Chapter 7

    Chapter 7

    In response to Keith¡¯s command, a notification appeared before him.

    Determining authority¡­

    Authority confirmed. The user holds ownership rights of the items intended to be stored.

    Keith nodded in understanding. It seemed there were some restrictions on whether he could collect something. He needed to own the item first, or at least it needed to be ownerless.

    In the next moment, the entire warehouse brightened considerably. Thousands of items transformed into motes of light as they flew towards the Grimoire in Keith¡¯s hand. A second later, the warehouse was empty, including the work golems, something Keith forgot to consider.

    However, before he could even feel regret, a surge of power flowed through him. Gravity seemed to disappear as a weightless feeling came over him as if a single leap could carry him into the sky. Not only that, his senses sharpened several times over. The flood of information entering his brain left him paralyzed.

    Initially horrified, Keith quickly realized he was experiencing a phenomenon called sensory overload. It happened when adventurers gained a sudden massive increase in stats. Typically, stat gains were incremental, allowing users to adapt to their newfound perception without much trouble. Only when your senses multiplied on the spot would the mind be temporarily unable to adapt. Keith learned this in school, and he especially remembered the severe expression on his teacher¡¯s face when they explained the phenomenon.

    After identifying the problem and knowing it was harmless, Keith spent nearly an hour adapting to his heightened perception, eventually returning to normal. Now, he could appreciate his newfound senses. Stepping out into the garden, Keith found everything was crisp and more detailed. The air carried several new smells, which he needed to learn to identify, and his ears picked up even the slightest vibrations. All the new sensations left him filled with awe towards the world, giving him a newfound appreciation for life.

    At that moment, a notification appeared.

    New title acquired: Nature Enthusiast

    Title: Nature Enthusiast

    Description: Reduces damage taken from plants by 5%.

    Keith wasn¡¯t particularly excited about the new title. Nature Enthusiast was a common one. Closing the notification, Keith wondered what his stats were. With a thought, his status appeared, shocking him.

    [Keith Walker]

    Level: 159

    Age: 18

    Titles: Philantropist, Born With A Golden Spoon, Troublemaker, +10 others

    Health: 545/545

    Mana: 630/630

    Strength: 83

    Agility: 85

    Intelligence: 90

    Vitality: 87

    Endurance: 88

    Skills: Void Shadowstep, Elementary Status Resistance, +25 others

    Keith wondered if he was looking at the right status. How were these his attributes? Holy hell, he was wearing pajamas right now! They didn¡¯t offer a single stat. That meant without wearing any equipment, Keith had stats equivalent to an epic grade monster of the same level.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    If Keith could kill an epic-grade monster of the same level, he¡¯d become an epic-grade adventurer, a genius among geniuses. Only a few humans had that status below level 400, and humanity invested everything into cultivating them.

    Although, as high as Keith¡¯s stats were, he didn¡¯t dare fight an epic-grade grade monster without skills to back him up. He was confident in his movement skills, his aunt praised him as a genius in that regard, but he sorely lacked skills meant for fighting. He just didn¡¯t like battling. It was scary and painful.

    After admiring his status for a minute, Keith checked his Grimoire. Flipping to the storage page, he saw his current CV.

    Collection Value: 3,230,000

    ¡°What?¡± Keith was dismayed, drastically overestimating how much CV he¡¯d receive. It took ten years to collect all those items, yet it only amounted to a measly 3 million CV. How long would it take to get the Battle Loadout function, which cost 100 million?

    Adjusting his emotions, Keith sat down on one of the many benches in the garden, then spent several hours organizing his storage page. Not only did he create numerous groups and subgroups, but he also added tags to each item, such as ¡®food ingredient,¡¯ ¡®equipment material,¡¯ and so on.

    Years ago, Keith created an intricate system to organize his inventory and warehouse, so he simply copied his previous settings. Setting it up wasn¡¯t difficult, but it was tedious.

    As he worked, the maid, Cami, brought him breakfast. She observed him interact with his Grimoire with a solemn expression for several minutes before deciding to place his meal on the bench and leave. Sometime later, Keith¡¯s mom silently appeared and left after seeing him hard at work. Keith was too absorbed in his task to notice them.

    Finally, at noon, Keith unsummoned his Grimoire, then stood up and stretched his limbs. Suddenly smelling something, he turned and found his food, now cold. Only then did his stomach rumble, reminding him he missed breakfast. A few minutes later, he returned to his room and changed into an outfit as equally outlandish as yesterday.

    Keith considered collecting the Appearance Cards but decided against it. If he did, he¡¯d have to pay a monetary fee to withdraw a card whenever he wanted to change outfits. It wasn¡¯t possible to store it in his inventory either. The System granted everyone an inventory with 200 slots, and all 200 slots were already in use.

    Moving over to his desk, Keith sat down and started to think about his plans. Becoming stronger wasn¡¯t too important for him, so he didn¡¯t care about maximizing his stats through the Grimoire. Unlocking more functions, however, did interest him. Excluding the hidden functions, just the available ones were all special abilities that were hard to come by.

    For example, Material Synthesis and Fragmentation were both abilities possessed by grandmasters in their respective professions. Grandmaster was a title given by society, not the System, and to become one required having a crafting skill above level 400. Keith heard it took thousands of hours and countless resources to raise a crafting skill to that point.

    Knowing this made Keith appreciate his Grimoire even more. If he included every grandmaster in the world, plus other people¡¯s innate gifts, maybe only a hundred or so people had Material Synthesis and Fragmentation. Oh, perhaps a bit more. Keith recalled hearing about the Philosopher Stone, an item with similar abilities. Still, there couldn¡¯t be more than a hundred and twenty people with this ability.

    Reaching this point in his train of thought, Keith decided to purchase both abilities. Two million CP was gone in an instant, leaving him with a little over a million.

    ¡°Hehe. I¡¯m gonna be rich.¡± Keith rubbed his hands together as he thought about all the money he was about to make. Since only a hundred and twenty people possessed this ability, that meant the auction house would have plenty of opportunities for him to make a profit. Thinking so, Keith pulled out his magic tablet and began browsing through the auction house. In minutes, he found a potential item to synthesize.

    [Epic] Ognite Ore x196 ¨C 22 hours remaining

    Buyout: 50g each

    [Legendary] Ognite Ore x2 ¨C 12 hours remaining

    Buyout: 300g each

    Keith¡¯s eyes flew open as he began to tremble in excitement. Oh my! A single synthesis would net him 200g profit, excluding transaction fees. Why wait any longer? Keith immediately spent a considerable portion of his money buying out all 196 Ognite ore.

    After rushing down to his warehouse, Keith found a box sitting atop the teleportation array. Since the work golems were accidentally collected, there was no one to store the box. It was common sense to leave teleportation arrays clear of obstructions, so Keith moved the box to a nearby table before opening it.

    Inside, he found 194 fist-sized jagged brown rocks with a metallic sheen. Already imagining the windfall of money he was about to get, Keith placed his hand into the box and activated Material Synthesis, one of his two new skills. A notification appeared.

    Material Synthesis: [Epic] Ognite ore

    Mana cost: 20

    The smile on Keith¡¯s face froze, and only after several moments did he finally react. ¡°Damn it! How could it cost so much Mana?¡±

    Keith had a little over 600 mana if he was topped off, which meant he could only use Material Synthesis 30 or so times before running out of juice. If he combined his natural mana regeneration with his best mana regeneration equipment, it would take around two days to regenerate to full.

    At that rate, it would take a week and a half to synthesis all the ore, netting him almost 20,000 gold. In reality, not many around Keith¡¯s age could make 20,000 gold in less than two weeks in the safety of their home. With 20,000 gold, you could take care of a family for a couple of decades, but it wasn¡¯t a lot for an adventurer. On average, that much could buy you a level 300 legendary grade shield, only a single piece of equipment.

    20,000 gold wasn¡¯t nearly enough to satisfy Keith¡¯s needs. It took him a decade and several million gold to build up his hoard, yet it only netted him a bit over 3 million CV. What was 20,000 gold in comparison to that?

    ¡°There¡¯s gotta be a way.¡± Keith leaned back in his chair and started to think. If he could figure out how to handle the mana problem, money wouldn¡¯t be an issue. With the myriad of innate gifts, items, and skills in the world, Keith was confident there was a solution to be found. He just needed to find it.

 Collect The World - Chapter 8

    Chapter 8

    Skills came from many sources: crafted items, self-created, skill gems, and innate gifts. There were countless skills in the world, and of them all, innate gifts were the most likely to solve Keith¡¯s problem.

    Thinking this, Keith used his magic tablet to research his problem by browsing the magic network. With the magic tablet being a recent invention, people were still figuring out its uses, but some organizations already took advantage of the new technology. Of the many pages on the network, the mercenary guild¡¯s page was just as popular as the auction house. It was there millions of adventurers discussed tactics, exchanged knowledge, formed parties, and asked questions.

    However, Keith found it was much more than that.

    As with many human organizations, the mercenary guild wanted to make money. What could have been a bastion of knowledge shared freely among humans was instead locked behind paywalls. Keith hadn¡¯t explored the mercenary guild¡¯s page in-depth before, but now that was he was, he was flabbergasted. They were making an ungodly amount of money!

    For example, Keith found an info pack sold by the mercenary guild regarding the Rift he visited yesterday with his sisters, the Crimson Howler Den. It included information about all the monsters, their skills, loot, respawn times, geography, and farming tactics, all for the low price of 50 gold.

    Adira had around 5,000 Rifts, and the mercenary guild sold info packs for every single one. Since the Crimson Howler Den was a lower leveled Rift, the cost was pretty cheap compared to some higher-level ones. Over 400 million humans lived in Adira, and if even just half the population bought an info pack now and then, the total amount of gold was staggering. That wasn¡¯t even considering the other regions in the Human Domain.

    Keith ran some calculations and immediately slapped his thigh. Whoever came up with this platform was a genius at making money, and since Keith now wanted to make as much gold as possible to fuel his Grimoire, he felt deeply inspired by this esteemed person.

    Renewed with motivation, Keith began browsing another section of the mercenary guild¡¯s page: the forums. In only an hour of research, he discovered many things. The one that baffled him the most was that Mana was considered a commodity in the business world!

    One post made by a scholar in the forum had this to say, ¡°Mana is both the catalyst for progress and a bottleneck. It is the resource that fuels everything. Crafting items, hatching monster pets, growing crops, war, casting skills, everything we do requires it. Even the magic network that shocked the world can¡¯t run without Mana.

    If an alchemist or blacksmith had access to infinite Mana, they could experiment without hesitation, advancing their craft to unseen levels. The same goes for every other profession, and this is why it¡¯s a bottleneck. There isn¡¯t enough Mana to go around. While there are items that generate Mana on their own, they are limited in number¡­.¡±

    The post went on for some time, expanding Keith¡¯s knowledge several times over. After perusing other posts on the topic, Keith learned he wasn¡¯t alone. Countless other people needed Mana as well. Thankfully, among his discoveries, there were several solutions, some more viable than others.

    Among them was an item called a Mana Battery. Anyone could inject their Mana into the item and then sell it. When this item first appeared in the world, it caused quite a mess, with many criminal activities. The government quickly cracked down on this issue before it grew, but demons did the opposite. Keith learned demons in the Demon Domain turned their prisoners of war into Mana Slaves, a horrifying fate for anyone.

    Regardless of its controversial uses, Keith couldn¡¯t use this item to solve his problem. It was just too damn expensive. A quick search on the auction house showed a 10k Mana Battery selling for 1,000 gold, so he moved on to the following solution: Mana Workshops.

    Once Keith read through what a Mana Workshop was, he found it to meet his needs perfectly. Among the many Mana Workshops in Adira, one stood above the rest. Keith went to its page on the magic network and learned about its owner, a level 300+ adventurer called Adeiv, the Contractor.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    After learning about the ugly side of the Mana industry, Keith didn¡¯t want to make money immorally, so before contacting them, Keith decided to look up Adeiv in the police database and found no criminal history. With everything pointing in the right direction, Keith sent a message to the Mana Workshop through its page.

    From Adventurer K: Hello, I have two skills you might be interested in: Material Synthesis and Material Fragmentation. Both have no cooldown. Would you be willing to meet with me to discuss a potential partnership?

    Although he was anxious, Keith thought he did a good job sounding professional. Now, all he needed to do was wait for a reply. He guessed it wouldn¡¯t take long, as his two skills were natural moneymakers.

    Indeed, a few hours later, Adeiv himself replied. Keith¡¯s emotions spiked as he read the message.

    From Adeiv: Hello, Mr. K. How could I not be interested? How does 5 pm at my business sound? Just walk in and inform the receptionist of your arrival. I look forward to working with you.

    This was the first time he reached out to a high-level adventurer to conduct a business deal with such high stakes, so he felt both excited and uncomfortable at the same time.

    Hoping the deal would work out, Keith looked at the time and found he had several hours to kill. After confirming the appointment, to be safe, he decided to ask his mom for advice before he left. Leaving his room, he found Elora and Annallee sitting on the ground against the wall outside his room.

    Seeing Keith finally exit, the twins stood up as Annallee asked with a smile. ¡°Well? Are you satisfied?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Keith replied enthusiastically and summoned his Grimoire so his sisters could see. ¡°It¡¯s called the Collection Grimoire and-¡°

    ¡°Stop.¡± Annallee covered Keith¡¯s mouth and reprimanded him. ¡°Don¡¯t share anything with us. Or anyone.¡±

    ¡°But we¡¯re family,¡± Keith protested weakly. He¡¯d already lost count of how many times he heard his teachers say not to share anything about your innate gift, yet Keith fully trusted his sisters and the rest of his family.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter!¡± Annallee shook her head. ¡°Even if we don¡¯t tell anyone, there are countless methods to make us. I can¡¯t guarantee to keep my mouth shut if someone¡¯s torturing me, and who knows what skills are out there to extract information?¡±

    ¡°Haha, no one is going to torture you.¡± Keith felt his sister was too cautious but reluctantly dropped the subject after seeing even Elora sharing a similar expression as her sister.

    After checking up on Keith, the two sisters left without further questions, regardless of how curious they were. Sighing to himself, Keith found his mom in the living room reading a book. She looked up at him with a raised eyebrow when he entered. ¡°Well, well, well, look who finally left his room.¡±

    ¡°I was doing research,¡± Keith replied as he sat down next to his mom and informed her of his appointment with Adeiv without going into detail about the mechanics of his innate gift.

    Mariane listened silently, barely reacting when Keith mentioned the two skills he now possessed, merely letting out a slight nod without asking any questions. After he finished his explanation, he asked, ¡°Do you have any advice?¡±

    Mariane pondered for a moment. ¡°Those two skills are too famous and might bring out ulterior motives in others, so you¡¯ll need to conceal your identity. What grade is your warding ring?¡±

    ¡°Legendary-grade,¡± Keith answered as he rubbed a ring on his hand.

    [Legendary] Warding Ring

    Description: Passively blocks inspection-type skills below level 300.

    ¡°That isn¡¯t good enough,¡± Mariane said as she withdrew a purple ring from her inventory and handed it over to Keith. ¡°Use this from now on.¡±

    [Mythic] Warding Ring

    Description: Passively blocks inspection-type skills below level 400. If a skill bypasses the ring¡¯s protection, the user will still detect it.

    Keith gasped as he looked at his mom with concern. ¡°Are you sure? Don¡¯t you need one?¡±

    ¡°Bah,¡± Mariane waved her hand dismissively. ¡°I¡¯ll just get another. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    Keith briefly considered using this chance to cast Inspect on his mom to see her level and stats. He¡¯d always wondered what his mom¡¯s status looked like, as she always answered vaguely whenever he asked. In the end, he decided not to, as he didn¡¯t want to damage her trust in him.

    A moment later, Mariane also withdrew a blank white mask and tossed it over. ¡°This thing can change your appearance. You might as well keep it now that you¡¯re an adult.¡±

    Keith¡¯s heart warmed as he inspected the mask¡¯s properties, instantly knowing how useful it was.

    [Legendary] Mask of Deception

    Description: The mask can change between 10 preset faces at the user¡¯s command. No mana cost. No cooldown.

    ¡°Thanks for the help,¡± Keith said as he leaned over and gave his mom a side-hug. After a tight embrace, he stood up and returned to his room, deciding to put together a persuasive argument as to why Adeiv should work with him.

 Collect The World - Chapter 9

    Chapter 9

    Over the next few hours, Keith put together his sales pitch. First, he marked down materials on the auction house used for Material Synthesis & Fragmentation, then calculated the Mana cost and profit. Once he built a small database covering numerous materials used in different industries, he calculated the hypothetical profit each week if he had unlimited Mana to work with.

    Halfway through, Keith felt like he was doing a homework assignment back when he was in school. The difference then was he didn¡¯t enjoy it in the slightest, while now he was having a blast.

    It was around 3 pm when Keith finished his project, but he decided to add some more data after seeing he still had time to kill. Returning to the auction house, Keith searched through entire pages of materials and marked which ones were worth purchasing for his skills. The numbers quickly added up, and by the time it was almost 5 pm, he concluded Adeiv wouldn¡¯t run out of materials for months.

    Keith put his finished work in a folder and stored it in his inventory before standing up and stretching. Leaving his desk, he approached his wardrobe and wondered what to wear to the appointment. Probably something formal and refined?

    It took a few minutes before he found something he was satisfied with. Sporting a low ponytail like usual, he wore an earring with a regal black jewel on his left ear, a white jewel on his right ear, a black vest with a white undershirt along with black pants, as well as a white cape draped around his shoulders. The vest had numerous white patterns running along its surface, combining to create a ferocious dragon. As for the cape, it had black flames running from top to bottom.

    Keith called this outfit the Yin Yang Dragon, something he knew to keep to himself as his sisters only giggled whenever he told them his outfit¡¯s names. Looking over himself in the mirror, he spent the next ten minutes putting his hair together, taking even longer than when picking his outfit. For the finishing touch, Keith used black eyeliner around his eyes. Finally, he put on the mask his mom gave him and randomly selected one of the preset faces. He watched as the structure of his face changed into something unfamiliar.

    ¡°Perfect,¡± Keith muttered as he made for the door, not forgetting to flap his cape with his arm as he did, inwardly thinking how cool he looked right now.

    Unsurprisingly, Uncle Doven waited at the entrance of the mansion. Wherever Keith went, Doven followed. This was an ironclad rule his mom made, which he no longer questioned as it¡¯s been this way since he was a kid. However, Keith had some speculations regarding the man after spending so much time with him. He had a hunch Uncle Doven wasn¡¯t related to him by blood, or rather, he was a monster pet and a mysterious one at that!

    The only reason Keith wasn¡¯t entirely sure was that Uncle Doven had thoughts, habits, likes, and dislikes, something all the monster pets Keith had lacked. His were more like puppets, while Uncle Doven seemed to have free will.

    Regardless of Uncle Doven¡¯s true nature, Keith treated him like family. Seeing the man wait patiently at the front door with that familiar goofy smile, Keith chuckled. ¡°Ready to go?¡±

    Uncle Doven nodded with a hesitant expression, pointing to his mouth a second after. Keith¡¯s face dropped. ¡°You need more candy?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Uncle Doven repeatedly nodded, his eyes lighting up with joy.

    ¡°Fine, fine, we can visit Carmin¡¯s Candy Emporium on the way home.¡± Keith released a sigh, knowing he¡¯d have to fork out what little money he had left to satisfy Uncle Doven¡¯s sugar addiction. He wouldn¡¯t lack gold for long, though, as if this business deal went through, he¡¯d finally have an income besides his allowance.

    Entering the garden, Keith and Doven walked up to the pagoda atop the lake where the teleportation gate was. Even though there was a public teleportation gate in his neighborhood, something only wealthy neighborhoods had, his family and neighbors could afford private ones, resulting in a community that kept to themselves.

    Keith eyed the base of the pagoda as he manipulated the teleportation gate¡¯s interface. Down below, he could see a complicated Mana gathering array formed from thousands of lines. This array pulled Mana from the air to power the teleportation gate, so Keith wouldn¡¯t have to spend his own Mana when teleporting out. It was something he knew was there but usually never cared about, but after researching about Mana earlier, he became more mindful of its existence.

    Focusing back on the interface, Keith recalled the location of Adeiv¡¯s workshop. He selected ¡®Springsky,¡¯ a city to the south of Adira¡¯s capital, before vanishing in a flash of light. Many businesses used this city as their base of operations, so all Keith could see after teleporting was countless industrial warehouses and processing factories.

    Pulling out his magic tablet, Keith opened the map function and made his way through the city, using numerous public teleportation gates to reach his destination quickly. In less than five minutes since leaving his house, Keith arrived before a respectable-looking building.

    The workshop meticulously placed plants and trees around its premises to give it an inviting atmosphere, something Keith liked. There was even a tiny stream winding its way through the courtyard, where some fish played about.

    The environment alone garnered feelings of goodwill in Keith, something a more experienced business person would¡¯ve scoffed at. To them, a workshop dabbling in a controversial industry probably used the greenery to hide their dubious practices!

    Pushing down his nervousness, Keith took a deep breath before entering the lobby in high spirits. The room had a few empty chairs and tables, which he ignored as he approached the receptionist''s desk. A pretty-looking woman looked up at him with a charming smile after giving his outfit a once-over. ¡°Are you here for an appointment?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Keith replied as he fumbled his following words. ¡°I¡¯m Kei- Mr. K.¡±

    ¡°Perfect. Adeiv is waiting for you upstairs,¡± she responded as she stood up. ¡°Please follow me.¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Keith followed after the receptionist as he adjusted his clothes a few times. After arriving on the second floor, they went down a long corridor with glass windows on the left. Keith looked over and found an enormous room on the other side, where he saw people of all ages sitting in the center of massive magic arrays with hundreds of thousands of lines. The Mana in that room was so dense it underwent a qualitative change, becoming fog.

    The sight surprised Keith, as he knew gaseous Mana only appeared when powerful adventurers and monsters used skills. He did not doubt that if he stood in that room, he¡¯d regenerate Mana at least a thousand times faster. Keith¡¯s findings didn¡¯t end there, as each person sitting at the center of a magic array wore a set of Mana gathering equipment, their quality far above Keith¡¯s set.

    By the time Keith reached the end of the hall, he had a good grasp of how exactly this workshop functioned. He had a hunch that besides the arrays and Mana gathering items, the people inside had innate skills revolving around Mana, whether that was cost reduction or similar concepts. All these factors combined to get the most value out of Mana!

    As Keith thought these things, they arrived before the open door of an office. A middle-aged man dressed in formal attire walked out to shake hands with Keith. ¡°You must be Mr. K, right? I¡¯m Adeiv Strinde. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±

    Keith¡¯s back broke into a cold sweat as he tried to smile naturally. ¡°Hello, the pleasure is mine.¡±

    Adeiv turned to Doven. ¡°This is?¡±

    ¡°My guardian,¡± Keith quickly replied.

    Adeiv froze for a moment before his vast experience took over as he turned back to Keith and gave him a closer look. ¡°Haha, I¡¯ve never done business with someone so young before, forgive me. Let¡¯s go inside my office and make ourselves comfortable before we begin, yes?¡±

    The receptionist tactfully made her leave as Keith and Adeiv went inside the office and sat across from each other in comfortable chairs made from some unknown material. At this point, Keith wondered what he should say next. Should he pull out his folder now or make small-talk first?

    Perhaps after perceiving Keith''s uncertainty, Adeiv took the initiative to ask a question. ¡°Do you mind sharing the two skills you mentioned in your message?¡±

    ¡°Uh, sure, no problem.¡± Keith opened up his skills list and selected Material Synthesis & Fragmentation before flicking them towards Adeiv. The action was purely symbolic, as the System only took into account Keith¡¯s intent.

    Adeiv¡¯s eyes went wide as he read through the skills information, his breathing quickening as he lost control of his emotions. Only a second passed before he returned to his calm exterior. ¡°Oh my, well, it seems you were telling the truth.¡±

    Adeiv gave Keith a deep look, wondering to himself if he should take advantage of Keith¡¯s naivety or act with honesty and integrity as he usually did. True to his innate gift, Adeiv was a principled man with strict morals and ethics, so he quickly came to a decision. With a solemn tone, he said, ¡°Are you aware of how alluring these two skills are?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Keith replied. ¡°Probably only a hundred or two hundred people have them. I can¡¯t make use of them, so I came to you.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Adeiv smiled widely. ¡°You¡¯re lucky you did. If you met with my competitors, they¡¯d surely have ulterior motives, and your life might be in danger.¡±

    Hearing this, Keith snickered as he pointed to his Uncle, who stood behind him. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid. Try inspecting him.¡±

    Adeiv thought Keith didn¡¯t understand what lengths those bastards would go to to make a profit, so he thought Keith was too young. It was only after casually casting Inspect on Doven that his face drained of blood. The dignified exterior of the man collapsed as he looked up at Doven in horror. ¡°Level 442?¡±

    Doven glanced down at Adeiv with his goofy smile as he scratched his cheek in confusion. His simple mind couldn¡¯t comprehend why everyone cared about levels so much.

    After a few moments, Adeiv withdrew a handkerchief from his inventory and patted the sweat on his forehead. ¡°You gave me quite a surprise there, Mr. K. It suddenly makes sense why someone your age would have two skills of this caliber. With a guardian like this, I dare not speculate as to your origins.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to startle you,¡± Keith gave an apologetic smile as inwardly, he figured Adeiv thought he was a hero¡¯s descendant. Whether the man had ulterior motives or not didn¡¯t matter because as soon as Adeiv had the suspicion Keith was a hero¡¯s descendant, he wouldn¡¯t dare cause any trouble. Even the cruelest villains of the underworld didn¡¯t dare mess with someone with this status.

    Wanting to change the subject, Keith pulled out his folder and handed it over to Adeiv. ¡°Here¡¯s some info I put together.¡±

    Adeiv opened the folder as Keith waited patiently, somewhat afraid of being laughed at. Thankfully, Adeiv did nothing of the sort as he asked. ¡°Did you pull this data from the auction house?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Adeiv repeatedly nodded as he went through Keith¡¯s documents, closing them after a few minutes as he gave an honest evaluation. ¡°You did a good job, but using the auction house would actually lose us money.¡±

    ¡°Because of the cut they take?¡± Keith guessed.

    ¡°That¡¯s a part of it.¡± Adeiv folded his legs as he explained patiently. ¡°An advantage of running a big business like mine is that we can purchase materials in bulk directly from suppliers at a discount.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Keith absorbed this new information, asking a question a moment later. ¡°Why would they sell it at a discount?¡±

    Adeiv didn¡¯t mind explaining basic concepts like this as Keith¡¯s skills were too hard to pass up. ¡°A supplier¡¯s biggest worry is whether they can sell their products. This is when an agreement is made between a supplier and a buyer to enter a long-term partnership. The buyer guarantees to purchase the supplier¡¯s products, and in exchange, the supplier offers a discount. Like this, both parties benefit. I bet you didn¡¯t know the auction house, while wildly popular, only has but a mere fraction of the items circulating in the economy. Most items get traded behind doors.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Keith laughed at his ignorance without worry. ¡°I thought everyone used the auction house.¡±

    Adeiv scoffed. ¡°The truth is the business world hates the auction house. They¡¯re merely supplying a platform, yet they dare demand such a big cut.¡±

    Keith shared Adeiv¡¯s sentiments before asking one final question after considering his Collection Grimoire¡¯s potential needs in the future. ¡°How do you find a reputable supplier?¡±

    ¡°First, you need money,¡± Adeiv answered and raised three fingers. ¡°Once you have sufficient capital, there are three types of suppliers: adventurer parties, the mercenary guild, and the military!¡±

    ¡°Even the military?¡± Keith¡¯s mouth fell open.

    ¡°Of course, how else can they fund their massive operations?¡± Adeiv chuckled, himself unable to imagine the costs involved.

    ¡°So, what type do you use?¡± Keith bubbled with curiosity from the information Adeiv was sharing.

    ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk,¡± Adeiv waggled a finger at Keith. ¡°These are secrets I keep close to my heart. I can only tell you I use two types.¡±

    ¡°Hehe, sorry.¡± Keith belatedly realized he overstepped his bounds. Adeiv was more or less a stranger to him, so why would he share such important information?

    Adeiv placed his hands on his thigh and grew solemn as the office grew quiet, deciding to move on to the main topic. ¡°Mr. K, I¡¯ll be honest with you, only skills that outweigh my workshop¡¯s operating costs are worthy of consideration. Your two skills pass the mark, and if I can obtain them, they would immediately rank in the top five skills in my workshop. I can offer you a 65/35 split, with me taking 65. That¡¯s the best I can do without taking a loss.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡± Keith fell into thought as he considered the offer. Honestly, he was expecting a 50/50 split, but that was just him being greedy. He didn¡¯t have to do any work, yet he expected to take half of all the profit? As Adeiv said, he had to maintain the magic arrays, repair the Mana gathering equipment, and pay wages to his employees, on top of sharing the profit. After considering all that, Keith felt too ashamed to ask for more.

    Keith didn¡¯t take too long to come to a decision. From the little he interacted with Adeiv, he felt the man was honest and kind, so he didn¡¯t think the man was trying to scam him. Thinking this, he met Adeiv¡¯s gaze and nodded. ¡°Deal.¡±

 Collect The World - Chapter 10

    Chapter 10

    ¡°Great.¡± Adeiv laughed joyfully as yet another supreme money-making skill fell into his hands, reinforcing his decision to switch professions a decade ago. He began his career venturing into dangerous Rifts like many, using his innate gift to acquire an arsenal of skills from other adventurers. But after brushing against death one too many times, he had an epiphany: why not change his perspective on how he utilized his innate gift?

    Since then, he no longer explored Rifts, yet his level and stats rose even faster than before. But, most importantly, he made money. Lots and lots of money!

    ¡°Are you familiar with my innate gift?¡± Adeiv spoke in a jovial tone as he began interacting with the System. Going against the norm, Adeiv found more success by announcing the functions of his innate gift to the world. His page on the magic network gave a detailed explanation, which was precisely why Keith chose him in the first place.

    ¡°I am.¡± Keith¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°You have such a useful innate gift.¡±

    Keith would¡¯ve felt jealous a few days ago, but he no longer felt such negative feelings after acquiring his innate gift.

    ¡°Here you are.¡± A few moments later, Adeiv swiped his hand, a screen appearing in front of Keith.

    Adeiv Strinde has offered you a contract.

    If accepted, Mr. K agrees to loan his Material Synthesis and Material Fragmentation skills to Adeiv Strinde for three months. While the contract is in effect, Mr. K will receive 35% of all profits acquired from the skills. Adeiv Strinde must strive to make as much money as possible to the best of his abilities, or the contract will become void.

    Note: All profits will automatically appear in your inventory. You will lose access to Materials Synthesis and Material Fragmentation while the contract is effective.

    Do you agree to the contract?

    Keith read over the screen multiple times, ensuring he didn¡¯t miss anything. He had heard of many innate gifts with the ability to interact with the System, just like Adeiv could, so he wasn¡¯t worried. There was no fear of losing his skills forever because the System would enforce the rules stipulated in the contract. After all, nobody could fabricate screens to deceive others.

    Once sure everything looked okay, Keith accepted the contract, two small lights exiting his body and flying into Adeiv¡¯s as he did. Curious, Keith opened his skill list and found two skills greyed out, precisely the ones he just loaned to Adeiv.

    According to the workshop¡¯s page, Adeiv could loan out his skills to other people. For example, of the many employees Adeiv had, he could loan Material Synthesis to employee A from 10 am to 12 pm, then employee B from 12 pm to 2 pm. He didn¡¯t have to transfer the skills back and forth manually. The System would do that automatically as per the contract.

    The flexible way Adeiv utilized his innate gift was precisely the epiphany he had many years ago. Before, he would get powerful adventurers to sell or loan their skills for him to use in combat. But was that all his innate gift could do? How could he push his innate gift to the limit, giving him the most benefit?Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    Keith just acquired his innate gift, yet his first action miraculously stepped onto a path only the powerful understood, something Keith had yet to realize. The best way to grow your innate gift was to find synergies with other innate gifts!

    There were billions of innate gifts across the known world, but which would work best with yours? Perhaps Keith had found a perfect synergy with Adeiv¡¯s, or perhaps a more fantastic synergy existed!

    Only by exploring the world, expanding your horizons, and meeting new people would your power grow. Today, Keith¡¯s first step as an adult allowed him to establish a relationship with the Contractor, Adeiv Strinde. It was a step in the right direction, and on the day he acquired his innate gift, no less.

    At this time, Adeiv stood to his feet and withdrew his magic tablet. ¡°Alright, I need to make some calls so I can begin utilizing these skills right away. If you have any concerns or questions, just give me a call. Here¡¯s my personal contact information.¡±

    ¡°Okay, it was a pleasure meeting you.¡± Keith took out his magic tablet and added Adeiv to his contacts.

    As Keith turned to leave, Adeiv thought of something. ¡°You should receive money about once a week, as my workshop sells products in bulk.¡±

    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll wait expectantly,¡± Keith replied, inwardly feeling impatient, wondering how much money he¡¯d make from this partnership. Seeing that the meeting was over, Doven''s smile spread wider after knowing their next destination.

    Keith shook his head upon seeing this, deciding he should pick up some candy for his sisters as well. Now that his first task of the day was successful, Keith regained his usual confidence as he used multiple public teleportation portals until he arrived before Carmin¡¯s Candy Emporium in the capital.

    As soon as Keith entered, Doven rushed past him, heading towards the jawbreaker section. Keith himself walked over to a section favored by elves, where he found rows upon rows of floral candies imported from the Elven Domain. This candy was a crystalline plant filled with sugar, having a rubbery texture.

    Keith paid for the candy at the counter before heading home. Upon entering through the doorway, Ridger informed him that Mariane was out doing a mission for the mercenary guild and wouldn¡¯t return for a few days. Keith sighed helplessly, knowing his mom was somewhat of a battle junkie. She couldn¡¯t sit home and relax for more than a few hours before she felt restless.

    Keith didn¡¯t mind his mom leaving to make some money and stretch her muscles, but his aunt always took this chance to come over and visit whenever she did. Keith didn¡¯t know what occurred between the two sisters, but they consistently avoided each other and never appeared in the same place at the same time. He didn¡¯t hate his aunt, but with her arrival came training, cruel and torturous training.

    Sure enough, when the sun hit the horizon, shadows suddenly covered the mansion, announcing the arrival of a powerful persona. In the courtyard on the pagoda, a womanly figure cloaked in black miasma appeared. The thick fog covered her body from head to toe, masking her features from prying eyes. This person was Keith¡¯s aunt, Serilla.

    As she approached the mansion, the shadows in the garden shuddered with her every step. Before she could reach the front door, it abruptly opened as Keith appeared, a shadow clone clasping his neck. The miasma covering Serilla¡¯s face formed a sneer. ¡°Hmph, when will you stop trying to hide from me? I am inevitable!¡±

    ¡°Oh, Auntie, what a surprise. Um, how are you?¡± Keith forced out a smile. He was hiding in the bathroom just a moment ago, but his Aunt didn¡¯t seem to have any shame as a shadow clone formed next to him before dragging him to the front door. What if he had been using the restroom for real?

    Keith felt miserable at knowing what was about to occur. At this time, it was just him and his Aunt. Even Ridger failed his duties as a butler of greeting guests and shut himself in his gym. As for his sisters, his aunt treated them like strangers, so they similarly ignored her. She only treated Keith as family, something that displeased him greatly.

    ¡°You better have practiced Void Shadowstep this past week, or else, hmph!¡± Serilla spoke as she pulled out a small transparent cube before activating it. The cube expanded, forming a small door next to her. Pulling Keith along, they passed through the door, entering a dimension the size of a neighborhood. It was in this enormous white space that Serilla oversaw Keith¡¯s training.

    [Epic] Pocket Dimension

    Description: A tiny piece of a dimension stored in a cube that the user can access freely.

 Collect The World - Chapter 11

    Chapter 11

    Keith weaved between several indistinct humanoid clones assaulting him with various weapons. Reminiscent of a shadow cast by a flickering candle, his figure distorted and shifted, dodging the attacks by several inches. The way his body blurred was jarring, and if his opponents weren¡¯t shadow clones, they¡¯d grow dizzy over time.

    Now and then, the techniques the shadow clones displayed suddenly jumped a level, releasing an attack Keith couldn¡¯t avoid. During these critical moments, Keith¡¯s body phased into another plane as the numerous swords, daggers, and spears passed through him. In the next moment, he¡¯d reappear with a pale face from the excessive consumption of mana.

    The way his body distorted and his ability to phase through physical attacks both stemmed from a single skill: Void Shadowstep. Unlike skills from equipment or skill gems, Void Shadowstep was a legacy skill. Legacy skills were self-created skills that the creator could pass on to another.

    The System was exceptionally harsh, and only when a person passed several rigorous evaluations would a new skill come into existence. Creating a skill was a daunting task, with the difficulty increasing depending on its power.

    An epic fireball skill granted from equipment didn¡¯t require its user to understand its mechanisms. They simply needed to activate the skill, and the System would do the rest. However, a legacy fireball skill required a deep understanding of many things, like what fire was, how it formed, how to manipulate mana to get the best result, and so on. Most importantly, the System required intent, something many found elusive.

    Keith¡¯s Aunt created Void Shadowstep, and she passed it onto Keith. To activate it, he had to observe candles and shadows for hours on end. It was a dull and tiresome task, and he only persisted because his Aunt threatened punishment. Finally, after half a year, he encapsulated a shadow in his mind, thus forming intent and finishing the last step to inherit the skill.

    Keith recalled those grueling days as he trained with the shadow clones and couldn¡¯t help but think his family was strange. Not only was Uncle Doven over level 400, but his Mom and Aunt probably were too. The only reference to their strength was that his Aunt created a top-tier legacy skill. Everything else was shrouded in a veil of mystery.

    As Keith fought, the System continuously evaluated his technique, and only when he improved would it level up. When Keith first acquired the legacy skill many years ago, he gained one level after another. Nowadays, each level took a tremendous amount of effort.

    At level 100, Void Shadowstep passively enhanced Keith¡¯s movements, giving him the attribute of a shadow. After reaching level 200, it gave him the ability to phase through physical attacks at the cost of mana. According to his Aunt, at level 300, it allowed the user to phase through both physical and magic attacks.

    As for level 400, when Keith first heard its effects, he understood why his Aunt boasted her self-created skill was one of the best legacy skills in the world. Currently, when Keith phased through an attack, he temporarily existed in another plane and couldn¡¯t hit his opponent. At level 400, that restriction disappeared, meaning he could assault his enemy while avoiding all attacks levied against him.

    Unbelievable.

    To this day, Keith couldn¡¯t wrap his head around how something so rule-breaking was possible, but that only showed he lacked understanding of the skill. His Aunt had proven to him long ago such a ridiculous concept existed by demonstrating it personally many times.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    Keith tried to deepen his understanding of Void Shadowstep as he fought, but after several hours fighting the shadow clones, he started to feign exhaustion. Till now, he hadn¡¯t informed his Aunt about his increased stats, so she kept the difficulty level the same as before. Keith could keep going, but that would mean getting punched, kicked, and stabbed for several hours longer. Now was when his Aunt usually gave him a break, so he kept his act going until he ¡®accidentally¡¯ tripped and fell.

    Serilla was sitting crosslegged nearby in meditation. No longer did a veil of shadow cover her body. Like Keith and Mariane, her hair was cyan, and she almost looked like a carbon copy of Keith¡¯s mom, except her expression was several levels colder, and her hair cut short.

    When Keith fell, her cyan eyes snapped open as the shadow clones under her control paused and stood at attention. As Keith ¡®struggled¡¯ to his feet, Serilla¡¯s brows furrowed. Then, suddenly, she vanished from her spot and appeared before Keith, her first barreling towards his nose. Keith yelped as his pupils shrunk. Thankfully, Serilla¡¯s fist stopped just before making contact.

    Before Keith could understand what was going on, Serilla grabbed his hand and pierced one of her fingernails into the skin on his forearm.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± Keith screamed exaggeratingly, utterly baffled, and almost expecting his Aunt to drink his blood next.

    ¡°Cut the crap,¡± Serilla sneered as she flicked Keith¡¯s hand away. ¡°Based on how quickly your pupils shrunk, your Agility should now be around 80, and from the resistance of your skin, your Vitality should be the same. What are your other stats?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Keith blinked his eyes innocently and prepared to deny her accusations, but when he saw her expression drop, he quickly changed his tune. ¡°Sure enough, nothing can escape your eyes, Auntie! It''s my luck to have you take care of me. You¡¯re a genius among geniuses!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me. I know that already,¡± Serilla replied seriously without a hint of shame. ¡°Stats, now.¡±

    Keith gulped and quickly shared his stats.

    While Keith was utterly amazed when he saw his current stats, Serilla didn¡¯t even bat an eye, as if it was nothing special. Instead, she gave a sinister smile. ¡°When were you planning on telling me?¡±

    Oops. Keith immediately knew he had made a mistake. He didn¡¯t answer as he avoided her gaze and looked around the empty white pocket dimension for anything interesting. Seeing this, Serilla¡¯s tone grew cold. ¡°Do you even know how valuable my time is? The responsibility I hold? No, of course you don¡¯t. You¡¯re just a spoiled brat who gets everything handed to you. What would you know of responsibility?¡±

    Serilla¡¯s response shocked Keith. She was usually cold and unfriendly, but she never verbally abused him. Of course, Keith wanted to defend himself, but he knew better than anyone how spoiled he was.

    Serilla¡¯s frustration didn¡¯t end as she spat. ¡°I bet you think my training is cruel, huh? Pure ignorance. If you knew what awaited you, you wouldn¡¯t waste your time playing childish games. Why the hell did Mariane raise you like this?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Keith¡¯s mind focused on ¡®if you knew what awaited you,¡¯ as it seemed to contain a secret he had been wondering about regarding his family and how Ridger and his Mom acted towards him recently.

    Serilla¡¯s mouth opened, but no words came out, a hesitant expression coming over her. Keith wasn¡¯t willing to let this chance go and pressed for an answer. ¡°What aren¡¯t you guys telling me? Why are Uncle Doven, you, and Mom so strong?¡±

    A few moments passed in silence before Serilla finally spoke. ¡°You aren¡¯t my child. It isn¡¯t my place to say.¡±

    Keith¡¯s shoulders dropped as Serilla rubbed her forehead, realizing she spoke too much. Sighing, she said, ¡°Stress has been getting to me. I shouldn¡¯t have taken it out on you. My damn sister is to blame. She caused this mess.¡±

    Serilla froze, finding she repeated her mistake.

    ¡°Heh.¡± Keith discovered his Aunt had loose lips, so he tried probing her by asking several questions. But, alas, no matter what he said, his Aunt remained as silent as a rock, afraid of spilling more information.

    When Keith realized he wouldn¡¯t get any answers, Serilla finally spoke, although the topic returned to training. ¡°I¡¯m going to raise the difficulty to match your stats.¡± Keith groaned as she continued. ¡°You¡¯ll thank me later.¡±

    True to her words, the shadow clone''s speed and power rose several times, leaving Keith with no time to think about anything else. The only time he left the pocket dimension was to eat food. As soon as he ate his fill, he returned to the pocket dimension for further training. Serilla didn¡¯t even let him sleep in his room.

    Like this, three days went by.

 Collect The World - Chapter 12

    Chapter 12

    Sometime in the afternoon, the door leading to the pocket dimension opened as a soulless Keith walked through and arrived in the courtyard. Seeing the familiar plants around him, he suddenly fell to his knees and cheered. ¡°I¡¯m free. Free, hahaha!¡±

    Three days of nonstop training had slowly drained his optimism, but now that it was over, he saw the light at the end of a long dark tunnel. It was like finding water in an oasis after nearly dying from dehydration, rejuvenating his will.

    ¡°Ridiculous.¡± Serilla arrived behind Keith a moment later and was embarrassed to be his Aunt after seeing his exaggerated reaction.

    To her, a three-day retreat in training was akin to a walk around the neighborhood. Her nephew even got to return home for meals three times a day. For him to cry out in joy after enduring some hardship, how would he survive what was to come? She shook her head. Forget it. It wasn¡¯t her kid. She did what she could when considering her responsibilities. For someone in her position to disappear for three days now and then was already pushing the limit.

    Standing over Keith, Serilla spoke in a grave tone. ¡°I won¡¯t be coming to train you anymore.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Keith¡¯s head spun around so fast he almost got whiplash. He examined his aunt closely to try and see if she was pranking him. ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    Serilla grit her teeth before continuing. ¡°Years ago, my goal was to teach you how to fight, yet you rejected my goodwill and stubbornly didn¡¯t want to kill anything, so I could only teach you how to run and keep your life. Thankfully, in this regard, you aren¡¯t a complete waste and possess talent in this area.¡±

    As soon as Serilla started speaking, Keith felt like something was wrong. Why did it sound like she was saying goodbye?

    Regardless of Keith¡¯s thoughts, Serilla went on to say with some pride, ¡°With your stats and using Void Shadowstep, I can confidently say you can keep your life before anything below level 250 at rare or epic grade.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Keith was surprised. All he had fought was his Aunt and her clones, so he had no reference as to his strength, er, fleeing ability.

    ¡°You will come to understand my skill¡¯s power in time,¡± Serilla responded vaguely, knowing that moment would come sooner than Keith thought. Her nephew might resent her for training him so harshly, but once he encountered some real battles, that resentment would become gratitude.

    At that moment, the pavilion atop the pond lit up with light as Mariane appeared with a satisfied expression as if she had just had a massage. In reality, she just beat up monsters for a few days.

    Upon seeing her sister, however, her face scrunched up. ¡°You haven¡¯t left yet?¡±

    Serilla clicked her tongue, said nothing, and began walking to the teleportation array in the pavilion. As the sisters passed each other, Serilla stopped, followed by Mariane. Serilla glanced over her shoulder at Keith and seemed to come to some decision. In a voice loud enough for both to hear, she said, ¡°When are you going to tell him?¡±

    Keith had just been trying to leave the vicinity as soon as possible to avoid any arguments when he suddenly stopped and perked his ears.

    Mariane¡¯s face dropped as she hissed, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Hmph.¡± Serilla turned to face her sister. ¡°When you encounter tough decisions, you wait until the very last minute, every damn time. It was the same then, and it¡¯s the same now. Last time you shocked everyone, but we were all adults, so we could handle it. Keith is just a kid. He needs time to prepare.¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    In the corner, Keith desperately wanted to protest and say he was an adult now, but he knew better than to interject at this dangerous moment. Honestly, he was surprised his Aunt was looking out for him, of all people.

    As Keith tried to make his presence as small as possible, Mariane surprisingly didn¡¯t refute her sister¡¯s words. On the contrary, her shoulders dropped as she clenched her hands. ¡°He¡¯s my kid. What right do they have?¡±

    ¡°Are you pretending to be ignorant?¡± Serilla¡¯s tone grew cold. ¡°You knew the rules, yet you still went and had a child. Not only did you have a kid, you went and did it with the worst person possible. Maybe if you chose a nobody, things would work out. But you didn¡¯t.¡±

    Keith had never seen his Mom look so powerless as Serilla laid bare her greatest regret. Mariane forced back tears as she responded, ¡°Back then, I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d awaken such illogical feelings. When I was pregnant, I started remembering what we went through in our childhood.¡±

    Mariane looked into her sister¡¯s eyes, and for the first time in almost two decades, she spoke heart to heart with her sister. ¡°Do you remember how we¡¯d cuddle together and share our thoughts and feelings after surviving another day?¡±

    ¡°Of course I do.¡± Serilla smiled bitterly as she recalled distant memories. ¡°If we didn¡¯t have each other, I don¡¯t know what I would¡¯ve turned into.¡±

    Finding a long-lost connection with her sister, Mariane grew passionate. ¡°Wasn¡¯t the world so colorful and full of life in the beginning?¡±

    ¡°It was.¡± Serilla¡¯s eyes glimmered. ¡°I remember us promising each other how we¡¯d grow strong and punish the Overseer and Dad for everything they put us through.¡±

    ¡°Right, and then-¡°

    ¡°Then we grew up,¡± Serilla cut her sister off. ¡°We saw the state of the world and the reason for our training, so those feelings we used to have disappeared as we reluctantly accepted our responsibility.¡±

    ¡°And what did we lose?¡± Mariane countered as she gave Serilla a sympathetic look. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to explain it to you, but when I held Keith in my arms for the first time, that long-lost resentment came back in full force. I couldn¡¯t bear to put him through what we experienced.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to explain it. I know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Serilla¡¯s expression became complicated as she said, ¡°Did you know I hated you for leaving me? When I secretly visited you one day, I started to understand why you did what you did. While playing with Keith in a park, you both had an innocent and carefree smile. You never smiled like that before.¡±

    Mariane blushed as Serilla revealed thoughts she had never told anyone before. ¡°You don¡¯t know this, but over the years, I began to doubt the principles of morality and fighting for the greater good the Overseer and Dad drilled into us. As I killed more and more people, I began to wonder if all their lives were worth what I believed in. For a long time, I struggled to answer this question.¡±

    Serilla looked up into the sky with a dazed look as she recalled that day so long ago. ¡°When I saw your smile in that park, surrounded by other parents and their children with similar looks, I suddenly realized what I fought for wasn¡¯t some vague concept. It was in front of me this whole time, yet I never realized it until then. I kill so that others can live their lives free of conflict.¡±

    Mariane never knew her sister had such doubts and didn¡¯t know what to say. The jobs each of them had were vastly different. Mariane fought in the light and was respected, while Serilla fought in the dark and was hated and reviled. While Mariane returned from battle to people cheering, Serilla returned in the shadows.

    To Serilla¡¯s surprise, Keith suddenly embraced her from the side with tears in his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t fully get what you guys are talking about, but while I don¡¯t like how you beat me up, I still know you do it with good intentions. To me, you are someone I care about and someone I call family.¡±

    ¡°Brat, what¡¯s gotten into you?¡± Serilla felt uncomfortable from the hug after never receiving such intimacy in years and was at a loss.

    Keith tightened his hold on his Aunt as he chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but you looked lonely.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± Mariane embraced Serilla and Keith in her arms. ¡°It must¡¯ve been hard taking up my responsibilities over these years. I owe you too much.¡±

    Serilla had the stats to escape from their grasp yet chose not to. Instead, she bit her lip and asked, ¡°Do you think if Mom didn¡¯t leave, we¡¯d have been like this?¡±

    Mariane looked into the distance and nodded. ¡°I think so.¡±

    After a few moments of silence, the group separated awkwardly. Keith turned to his mom with a hesitant expression. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not an idiot. You and Uncle Ridgar have been strange lately, and with you and Auntie¡¯s strength, I have some guesses. You¡¯re from one of the four families, right?¡±

    Mariane¡¯s face twisted before letting out a deep sigh. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside. I need a drink before I explain.¡±

 Collect The World - Chapter 13

    Chapter 13

    After entering the living room, Mariane flopped onto the couch and pulled out several bottles of alcohol from her inventory. While she drank, Serilla looked out the windows before shutting the two doors leading into the living room. After making sure everything was clear, she leaned against the wall next to the fireplace and folded her arms.

    Keith sat across from his Mom as she drank six bottles in one go. Just when he thought she was about to pull out another, she let out a repulsive belch before asking a question. ¡°What do you know about the four families?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re the pillars holding up and protecting our civilization,¡± Keith responded matter-of-factly. ¡°Hundreds of years ago, humans were split into different factions and fought countless internal wars. Only when four adventurers rose to power and subdued everyone did we unite into a single force. Under their lead, we developed our technology and conquered Rifts until humanity became the strongest force in the world. The four families refer to these four heroes and their descendants.¡±

    While Keith explained what was common knowledge, Mariane downed another bottle. When he finished, she sneered. ¡°Is that what they taught you at school?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Keith grew confused. ¡°Is it wrong?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s mostly a lie,¡± Serilla answered from the side.

    Hearing his Aunt, Keith looked to his Mom as she explained a hidden story known to few. ¡°Hundreds of years ago, there was a person: Yara. Yara¡¯s innate gift gave her control over karma.¡±

    Keith responded uncertainly. ¡°I didn¡¯t know there were innate gifts based around such elusive concepts.¡±

    ¡°Strange, isn¡¯t it?¡± Serilla seemed to know Keith¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Besides her, no one else in the world has innate gifts centered around a concept.¡±

    Keith was shocked. ¡°Is that true? Why? What makes her so special?¡±

    The System governed all things, and to bless an individual with an innate gift in a different category from everyone else made Keith doubt the System¡¯s fairness.

    ¡°No one knows.¡± Serilla shook her head.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Mariane continued, ¡°Yara¡¯s ability isn¡¯t so simple as cause and effect. I only know a bit. For one, she can peer into many possible futures and steer an individual or events towards any particular one. I also know she can look at a person and see everything related to them.¡±

    ¡°What? That¡¯s scary.¡± Keith was utterly shocked. How could you face such an ability?

    ¡°It¡¯s good you know.¡± Serilla looked out the window and spoke with an ice-cold voice. ¡°Be wary around her. You never know if she¡¯s subtly manipulating your actions.¡±

    ¡°You speak as if she¡¯s still alive. Wasn¡¯t this hundreds of years ago?¡± Keith voiced his doubts. Stats could increase your lifespan, but not to the extent of living for hundreds of years.

    Serilla looked at Keith with a strange smile. ¡°Yara is still alive and well.¡±

    ¡°Let me get back to the story,¡± Mariane interrupted. ¡°Back then, during that wartorn era, Yara used her innate gift to find four children with immense potential. Under her guidance, they became known as the four heroes who you¡¯re familiar with.¡±

    Keith rubbed his forehead as he absorbed this information. After a minute, he had a terrifying thought. ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is Yara controls the four heroes, and thus their descendants are also loyal to them, making her the de facto ruler of humanity?¡±

    ¡°Clever,¡± Serilla was surprised. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d see the connection.¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    Keith sighed, finding it somewhat sad that human civilization was under a single person''s control, but at least they were morally good. Yara led humanity from that wartorn era to today, where technology advanced rapidly, and most people had homes.

    After a few moments of silence, Keith asked, ¡°So which family do we belong to?¡±

    Mariane answered Keith¡¯s question with a sigh. ¡°Of the four original heroes, only Rickard¡¯s alive and kicking. He is the father of your Aunt and me.¡±

    ¡°The greatest alchemist in the world?¡± Keith blinked several times, unsure how to feel. At the very least, he now understood the responsibilities his Aunt and Mom had. With demons and orcs constantly threatening humanity, he couldn¡¯t even imagine the pressure they faced as the direct descendants of one of humanity¡¯s leaders.

    Mariane didn¡¯t give time for Keith to relax as she revealed something else. ¡°Your father is Markus, Yara¡¯s son, which makes you her grandson.¡±

    Processing this information, Keith didn¡¯t know if he should be happy he was born into such a ridiculous family. After all, countless people looked up to the four families and wished they could enjoy their level of strength and status. However, with the conversation in the courtyard just a moment ago surfacing in his mind, Keith knew there was a good reason he never met his dad and grandparents.

    Mariane observed her son and asked, ¡°How do you feel?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Keith smiled with a helpless shrug. ¡°I guess it doesn¡¯t feel like the news has set in yet?¡±

    ¡°Do you have any questions?¡± Mariane hoped Keith didn¡¯t resent her for raising him without a father now that he knew the truth.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m still confused why it seems like something¡¯s about to change,¡± Keith replied as he rubbed the side of his head.

    ¡°Uh.¡± Mariane opened her mouth, but she lacked the courage to answer at the critical moment. Shifting uncomfortably, she looked to her sister for help.

    Sighing in annoyance, Serilla wondered if her sister¡¯s change in temperament was for better or worse. In the past, no matter how big or small the problems Mariane faced, she boldly charged forward with her head held high, but she grew hesitant and indecisive ever since becoming a mother. At the same time, it was as if her very soul was brimming with life.

    Under Mariane¡¯s pleading, Serilla looked directly into Keith¡¯s eyes and explained in her sister¡¯s stead. ¡°To uphold our status and maintain our strength, everyone who belongs to the four families undergoes strict training starting at the age of four. For example, I entered my first Rift at the age of five, killed my first monster at six, and my first human at seven.¡±

    ¡°What? That¡¯s crazy!¡± Keith recoiled in shock as the pristine image of the four families in his mind immediately plummeted. He never would¡¯ve thought the four families were so cruel as to force their children to kill monsters and humans at such a young age. Hell, not even the barbarian tribes or orcs treated their children like this.

    ¡°Hmph.¡± Serilla¡¯s gaze grew sharp. ¡°You can question the morality of it all you want. The reality is I was stronger than you at the age of eight.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    Keith didn¡¯t care too much about how strong he was, but to hear his Aunt could beat the current him up when she was eight still shook his ego.

    ¡°I admit the four family¡¯s methods are extreme and produce soldiers with little to no emotions,¡± Serilla¡¯s tone softened. ¡°But it is due to them we can hold our own against figures like Vokoth, the demon ruler, Ugak, the orc chieftain, and Ava, the elven empress.¡±

    Keith refrained from sharing his opinion as Serilla continued, ¡°Before you were born, your mother stood at the pinnacle of the four families. She was a genius, ruthless, and a fighting maniac: a perfect soldier.¡±

    ¡°She still is a fighting maniac,¡± Keith muttered, his Mom coughing at the remark.

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Serilla responded coolly, ¡°but once you were born, she awakened emotions and feelings unbecoming of a member of the four families. Upon realizing you would go through what we did, she caused quite a ruckus.¡±

    Keith snickered, ¡°I can imagine that. What did she do?¡±

    ¡°After some verbal arguments with your grandfather, she went crazy and threatened your father,¡± Serilla answered with a smirk. ¡°You need to understand that your father isn¡¯t a part of the four families. He is the son of Yara, the Overseer, and possesses one of the world''s strongest and most developed innate gifts. His strength is on another level, yet your mom still went and threatened to damage the foundation of his innate gift.¡±

    ¡°His foundation?¡± Keith nodded in understanding. Some innate gifts gained strength from external things, much like his own. If someone stole what he collected in his Grimoire, his power would drop. He just didn¡¯t know what powered his father¡¯s innate gift.

    ¡°In the end, Yara herself intervened,¡± Serilla¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°She allowed your mom to raise you as a normal person would, and three months after you awakened your innate gift, both of you would return to the family.¡±

    Keith¡¯s chest clenched in anxiety as he came to a sudden realization. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean I¡¯ll have to go through hellish training in less than three months?¡±

    Serilla shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    At this time, Mariane finally spoke, ¡°Your status is unique. You aren¡¯t just a descendant of one of the four heroes. You are Yara¡¯s grandson, so the four family¡¯s rules don¡¯t necessarily apply to you.¡±

    ¡°Whew.¡± Keith relaxed as he collapsed into his chair when he heard that.

    After a moment of silence, Mariane¡¯s hesitation disappeared as she spoke solemnly, ¡°In three months, be wary of your grandmother. She might not be humanity¡¯s ally!¡±

 Collect The World - Chapter 14

    Chapter 14

    Human Domain, Cadata.

    Cadata was one of the three core regions of humanity and the central base of operations for its military. Hailed as humanity¡¯s final line of defense, it possessed magical contraptions boasting fearsome destructive power, thousands of arrays with numerous functions, and countless fortresses that could defend against entire armies.

    Cadata¡¯s capital was similar to other human cities, with tall structures thirty to forty stories high, paved roads, and a dense population. Everyone living in the city knew they were in the safest place in the world and thus possessed a carefree spirit, more so than anywhere else. As a result, bars, pubs, battle arenas, and casinos took up business on every block.

    Like any city, the capital housed unique landmarks, such as the clocktower, a structure that towered over the rest of the city. So high it was that few knew it was the favorite resting spot of one of humanity¡¯s leaders: Markus.

    At the very top, just below the clock itself, was a ledge large enough for someone to stand on. It was there Keith¡¯s father sat with his legs crossed and his back against the wall. Like Keith, he had sharp eyebrows and a masculine jaw but with short black hair with the front half stuck up. Markus¡¯s outfit was casual, wearing nothing but a t-shirt and shorts.

    He frequently spent his time atop the clocktower observing the city, watching as people went about their daily lives. With his stats, he could make out their facial expressions as if they were standing in front of him. Their joy, laughter, surprise, and happiness as they frequented one establishment after another either alone or with friends, he saw it all.

    Over the years, Markus found himself coming up here more and more. As an individual standing at the peak of the world, it was easy to grow arrogant and disdainful of anyone below level 400, which meant 99.9% of the world¡¯s population. Up here, however, Markus grounded himself, finding solace and peace. Up here, his thoughts were clear.

    Below him was the power source for his innate gift ¡ªhuman civilization itself. The diversity of its culture, the progression of science and technology, the people¡¯s quality of life, and its total strength contributed to growing Markus¡¯s innate gift.

    With Markus¡¯s position, it was easy to fall into a particular line of thinking: human civilization belonged to him and was his to use freely. At least, that was what his mother believed.

    As Markus thought of Yara, his gaze grew sharp. For hundreds of years, she grew human civilization into what it was today. In her mind, since she grew it, she could harvest it. It was also due to her machinations that Markus gained his innate gift.

    As he grew up, she drilled into his mind the glory of civilization, how millions of moving pieces worked together to create something beyond what any lone individual could achieve. How even a bricklayer held importance, for he built the house a teacher lived in as she taught the would-be adventurer who saved a scientist''s life that ended up discovering something incredible.

    It was a web so complicated and tangled it was impossible to unravel, yet that web, no matter which strand, made that web into the most deadly weapon in the world.

    Even to this day, Markus was of the select few who knew what Yara¡¯s grand plans were. Whether human civilization or the other races, they were all tools to achieve her ambition.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Realizing his thoughts were turning dark, Markus shook his head and pulled out a photograph of a young man with cyan hair and an eccentric outfit. Back then, Markus was willing to agree to Mariane¡¯s requests. No extreme training, no wildlife survival, no killing. For Keith to live a normal life.

    Like Mariane, Markus was just happy to be a father. There was no need for Keith to bear the responsibility of protecting a civilization, for Markus could take on that burden himself. He was willing, yet Yara had plans of her own, so Markus locked away his feelings for eighteen years and only observed from a distance.

    But now, after all these years, he could finally meet his son.

    Markus missed out on watching Keith grow from a baby into a young man, which frustrated him to no end, but he wouldn¡¯t let that stop him from becoming an important person in Keith¡¯s life. It might be awkward or uncomfortable at the beginning, but so what?

    After thinking about his son, Markus became optimistic, a rare feeling nowadays. Alas, the feeling didn¡¯t last long due to an unexpected guest. A woman in her prime flew over from afar, wearing an elegant black dress with a jeweled necklace draped around her neck. Her silky black hair, woven in intricate patterns, reached her waist. No blemishes or imperfections scarred her face, but the detached look in her eyes stained her beautiful image.

    This woman was Yara, the Overseer of the four families, the hidden ruler of humanity, Markus¡¯s mother, and Keith¡¯s grandmother. A moment later, she landed on the ledge next to Markus and turned around to look over the city as he did.

    For a time, the two said nothing, instead seemingly enjoying the view, but what they saw was entirely different. While Markus saw people going about their daily lives, Yara saw millions of intersecting lines. However, when Yara looked at her son, she saw nothing but his figure. With Markus¡¯s level of strength and influence, the number of connections he had was too much for Yara to calculate, effectively making her ability useless.

    Looking back over the city, Yara finally spoke, ¡°You¡¯ve been restless as of late.¡±

    ¡°I get to see my son in three months. How could I not be?¡± Markus responded with hidden feelings, wondering if she was genuinely worried about him or trying to make sure she still held control.

    Yara¡¯s expression flickered subtly, her detached gaze disappearing momentarily before returning. ¡°I¡¯m aware you resent me for letting that little girl take your son away, but know I did it in Keith¡¯s interest.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Markus¡¯s eyes grew red. ¡°If I raised Keith, you could still see his future, but if I didn¡¯t, his fate became uncalculable.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t as if Markus didn¡¯t understand his mother¡¯s reasoning, but what father wanted to hear they were the one responsible for holding their child back from greatness? That was the reason why Markus kept his distance from Keith, not because he feared his mother¡¯s strength, but because he didn¡¯t want to become the shackle holding his son back.

    Markus understood everything, but the way Yara went about things disgusted him to no end. She might act justly and aboveboard, but due to being her son and interacting with her all these years, he knew there was something else lurking underneath.

    Yara keenly sensed her son¡¯s feelings towards her. She let out a sigh and sat down next to him, not caring about dirtying her dress. ¡°You may not believe me, but I genuinely care about you. I told you the truth of this world and my origin, as well as what we will eventually come to face. I could have hidden these things from you, but I wanted you to understand why I do the things I do.¡±

    Seeing Markus¡¯s silence, Yara stood up, shook her head helplessly, then flew away after making one final comment. ¡°What parent wants their child to hate them?¡±

    As Markus watched his mother disappear into the distance, her last sentence resonated deeply with him, dissipating a portion of the negative emotions he held towards her. After all, what he feared most was Keith hating him.

    A question entered his mind not long after, one he found having more and more. Was that final comment genuine, or was Yara using his fears to alleviate the negative feelings he held towards her?

    What was her true nature?

    A manipulator, a caring mother, a beacon of hope for humanity, or something else entirely?

    To this day, he didn¡¯t have an answer.

 Collect The World - Chapter 15

    Chapter 15

    Keith spent the next few days lounging around the house, either hanging out with his sisters or spending time thinking about the future. In the end, he didn¡¯t have any control over the situation, so he would just go with the flow. It wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d never see his Mom or Uncle Ridger. Instead, they were coming with him, something that reassured him greatly. As for his sisters, they were still in the dark, so he didn¡¯t know what they would choose to do.

    One afternoon, when Keith was relaxing in the garden listening to the birds, a notification popped up. At first, he thought nothing of it, but when he finally got around to reading it, he sat up in shock.

    You have received a payment of 350,000 gold due to your contract with Adeiv.

    Keith read the message multiple times to ensure his eyes weren¡¯t playing tricks on him. Only when he checked his inventory¡¯s currency tab did he know he hit the jackpot. If future payments were like this, Keith could expect to make almost 1.5 million gold a month.

    In comparison, it took a decade and 2 to 3 million gold to acquire Keith¡¯s current collection. Keith¡¯s thoughts slowed to a halt when he realized he could double his collection in just a short two months. When that happened, what would his stats become, and what could he buy from the shop?

    Returning to reality, Keith jumped off the bench he was resting on and ran around the garden as adrenaline coursed through his body. After a few laps, he ran to his room, crashed onto his bed, then pulled out his magic tablet. As he browsed through the auction house, wondering what to buy, he slowly calmed down.

    Instead of buying anything that caught his eye, it was better to test what items gave the most CV. Mass food? Equipment? Monster pets? Keith needed to understand how his innate gift evaluated things to get the most bang for his gold. Realizing this, he spent the next few hours in the warehouse, collecting items from every industry.

    Keith¡¯s findings were fascinating.

    The Collection Grimoire seemed to know humanity¡¯s strengths and weaknesses and what they had trouble acquiring. For example, humanity produced explosive amounts of fruits, vegetables, and grains due to innate gifts and skills, so their CV wasn¡¯t much if the quantity was low.

    The Collection Grimoire valued food higher if humanity had trouble mass-producing it, like monster meat or unique plants like the ones in Keith¡¯s garden. From this perspective, Keith realized the System had a deep understanding of humanity. There were many theories on whether the System was sentient or not, and Keith usually held little interest in such topics, but now he couldn¡¯t help but wonder.

    Shrugging, Keith realized he wouldn¡¯t find an answer no matter how much he thought about it, so he returned to his research.

    After experimenting with 100,000 gold, Keith now had a firm understanding of what to do. Purchasing food or raw materials en-masse was an excellent method to gain CV, at least at first, because the diminishing returns were high. Eventually, the cost wouldn¡¯t be worth the CV gained.

    A safe method was purchasing equipment. The CV didn¡¯t decrease nearly as much based on quantity, and it was more of a ¡®you get what you put into it¡¯ type of situation. If Keith had unlimited money, this was the most solid route.

    The riskiest and potentially the best method to gain CV was to purchase monster pets. Each monster pet gave a significant amount of CV, but their market was incredibly volatile. Their price depended on their grade, species, how many abilities they had, and their inherited stats. Even their appearance mattered, with trends in fashion causing previously stable prices to fluctuate.

    After racking his brains overnight, Keith decided to use all three methods at different ratios. With every paycheck, he¡¯d spend 20% of it on food and raw materials, 30% on equipment, and 50% on monster pets.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    The next day, Keith acted on his plan and spent the rest of his money, spending a small fortune in less than an hour. As a result, each of his stats rose by around 10. While momentarily exciting, the following days waiting for his next paycheck left him bored out of his mind.

    He just didn¡¯t have anything to do.

    The twelve years of mandatory schooling were over, and for the first time, Keith felt restless. With no desire to continue his education, and no reason to get a job considering his family¡¯s wealth, he had too much free time on his hands.

    To tackle this problem, he visited Ridger¡¯s gym, where he found Annallee working up a sweat among the numerous machines and dumbbells. Not wanting to interrupt her, he sat on a nearby bench and browsed through his magic tablet.

    Sometime later, Annallee walked over while wiping her forehead with a cloth.

    Keith looked up and saw how exhausted she was. ¡°Is that enjoyable? Uncle Ridger made me try working out years ago, and it was miserable.¡±

    After drinking some water, Annallee sat next to Keith and grinned. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say enjoyable, but I do get a sort of rush, like when I¡¯m fighting a monster. Plus, I get to raise my stats and cultivate mass.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Ya know, bulk up.¡±

    ¡°Uh, right,¡± Keith nodded as he tried to understand bodybuilder terminology.

    Pulling out a rectangular bar, Annallee bit off a huge chunk, then pulled out a bottle of some unknown substance. Keith watched as she alternated between the two until they were gone. Curious, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a stimulant,¡± Annallee explained as she cleaned her teeth with a toothpick. ¡°It increases the efficiency of growing muscles and gaining stats. Tastes gross, though.¡±

    Keith was amazed. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d become so invested in working out.¡±

    ¡°Me neither,¡± she grinned. ¡°but there¡¯s a tournament coming up in two months which got me fired up.¡±

    ¡°Ah, the truth comes out. You¡¯re pretty competitive. I¡¯ll come to cheer you on,¡± Keith replied, making a mental note.

    ¡°Thanks, but don¡¯t expect much.¡± Annallee pouted in dissatisfaction. ¡°I just started bodybuilding, so I won¡¯t get a good score compared to other people in my age group who¡¯ve been training for years. Still, it¡¯ll be a good experience.¡±

    ¡°That can¡¯t be true, right?¡± Keith found it hard to believe. ¡°You¡¯re almost at the legendary grade. I doubt anyone there can compete with your stats.¡±

    Annallee shook her head. ¡°Height, weight, age, sex, stats, they take all that into account. I might do well in the pure weight lifting category, but there are other categories, such as flexibility, posing, and so on.¡±

    ¡°Wait, is that why Uncle Ridger always makes those weird poses?¡± Keith was enlightened. It turns out Ridger was practicing for the competition and wasn¡¯t crazy in the head.

    Annallee clasped her hands and started fantasizing. ¡°There¡¯s gonna be loads of muscles to see. Pectoral, biceps, quads¡­.¡±

    As Annallee listed off a whole bunch of muscles, some of which Keith had never heard of, he wondered if Uncle Ridger was leading Annallee down a forbidden path. Oh well, as long as she was happy, he would support her.

    A minute later, Annallee turned to look at him. ¡°So, what did you find me for?¡±

    ¡°I was hoping you could help me with something.¡± Keith took a moment to explain his predicament.

    After hearing him, Annallee laughed and slapped Keith across the shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s easy. What you need is a hobby or two. For me, I spend at least thirty hours a week fighting against monsters to level up and train my skills. Lately, I¡¯ve been into bodybuilding, so that takes up some time too.¡±

    Keith¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°I don¡¯t like fighting or working out.¡±

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you try growing your innate gift?¡± Annallee suggested.

    ¡°But my innate gift requires a lot of money. I can¡¯t do anything without it.¡± Keith grew despondent after remembering he¡¯d only get a paycheck once a week through Adeiv, which he¡¯d spend in but a few measly hours. What would he do with the rest of his time?

    Annallee sighed, then stood up and looked at Keith. ¡°Listen up, brother. Killing monsters is inevitable in this world. It gives you experience, levels your skills, and makes you money, killing three birds with one stone. You may not like fighting up close and personal, but there are many ways to fight. Hell, even artificers kill monsters. I heard they set up arrays in the middle of Rifts. While their arrays kill monsters, they sit nearby, relaxing and drinking tea. If they can do it, you can too.¡±

    Keith frowned as he processed his sister¡¯s words and realized she had a good point. Instead of relying on passive income, he could actively hunt monsters for money. What if he got lucky and a monster egg dropped? The thought excited him.

    Fighting monsters up close and personal like his sisters was a no-go, but if he could find a style of fighting he was comfortable with, he wouldn¡¯t mind trying it out. The problem was, how should he fight? To find the answer, only one person came to mind: his Aunt!

    ¡°Thanks for the help, big sis. I¡¯ll give it a try, but no promises,¡± Keith sprang up and hugged Annallee before sprinting out of the gym to call his Aunt.

    ¡°Hmph, about time,¡± Annallee muttered with a wry smile as she turned to resume her workout.

 Collect The World - Chapter 16

    Chapter 16

    Sitting in the living room, Keith pulled out his magic tablet and went to his contacts list to call his Aunt. Although she didn¡¯t pick up, she returned his call an hour later. ¡°What do you need?¡±

    After greeting her, Keith explained his problem and his sister¡¯s advice. ¡°I¡¯m not too familiar with combat methods, so of everyone I know, I thought you were the best person to ask for help.¡±

    ¡°You were right,¡± Serilla responded with a tinge of arrogance. ¡°In my line of work, I need to be familiar with many types of skills, so I know of many combat styles.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Keith perked an eyebrow, finding himself wanting to get closer to this cold Aunt of his. ¡°What¡¯s your line of work?¡±

    There was a pause before Serilla asked, ¡°Are you sure you want the answer?¡±

    Keith suddenly tensed up. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Serilla spoke with an even tone. ¡°I work for the military as an assassin. My targets include human criminals, orcs, and demons.¡±

    Keith released a breath he didn¡¯t know he was holding and laughed slightly. ¡°I figured that was the case.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Serilla was surprised by Keith¡¯s lackadaisical response. ¡°I¡¯ve killed over a thousand people, you know.¡±

    Keith shrugged. ¡°But it''s not like you pick random people as your targets, right? I believe you only kill who needs to be killed.¡±

    Serilla took a few seconds to respond. ¡°I can only hope so.¡±

    ¡°So anyway,¡± Keith changed to a more positive topic. ¡°I want a combat style that stays out of harm¡¯s way.¡±

    ¡°Of course you do. What damage type?¡±

    ¡°Magic,¡± Keith answered without a moment¡¯s hesitation.

    ¡°Hmph.¡± Serilla grew disdainful. ¡°Lazy people use magic.¡±

    Keith countered with a righteous tone. ¡°Why should I spend thousands of hours learning combat techniques when I can just cast a giant fireball and blow everything away?¡±

    ¡°That line of thinking will get you killed one day,¡± Serilla rebuked sternly. ¡°I¡¯ve lost count of how many mages I¡¯ve outclassed in a fight who thought the same thing.¡±

    Keith didn¡¯t know how to respond to the certainty in his Aunt¡¯s voice. Were mages really that conceited? Oh, who was he kidding? They definitely were. Keith already experienced the power of technical skills versus traditional skills.

    Keith was undefeated at school due to practicing Void Shadowstep for around a decade. Void Shadowstep had endless variations, and its performance depended greatly on its user, while most of the student¡¯s skills were just point and shoot.

    Everyone knew traditional skills were inferior to technical skills, yet that didn¡¯t stop most people from using them. They were simple, easy to pick up, and had decent power. On the other hand, technical skills require deep understanding and significant training before becoming practical.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Fine.¡± Keith decided to compromise. ¡°How about a magic style that requires a technical weapon and skills?¡±

    Serilla sighed. ¡°So be it. A grandmaster craftsman works for the four families, but I need to set up an appointment. I¡¯ll drop by in a minute to give you a skill encyclopedia. It¡¯s a military secret, so don¡¯t share it.¡±

    Before Keith could respond, Serilla ended the voice call. She arrived a few minutes later and handed Keith an unassuming textbook.

    As Keith took the book in hand, he asked, ¡°Is it alright to give this to me?¡±

    Serilla gave her nephew a look. ¡°You should adjust your perspective. As a direct descendant of the four families and Yara¡¯s grandson, you might hold even more authority than me.¡± She turned to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a call in a few days to meet Zeidrick.¡±

    Keith stood at the door as his Aunt teleported away, wondering if he heard right. Did she say Zeidrick? The number one weapon craftsman in the world? Wow. While Keith was still reluctant to fight monsters, he couldn¡¯t help but anticipate meeting Zeidrick and getting a custom weapon.

    Looking down at the book, Keith returned to his room and went through it. To his surprise, it contained all the known skills in the world. Absorbing all the information would take days of non-stop reading, something Keith didn¡¯t find too appealing. Thankfully, all he had to do was turn to the magic section.

    Serilla called a few days later, stating the appointment with Zeidrick would be tomorrow at noon. The next day, Serilla picked up Keith, and together they went through several teleportation arrays, quickly arriving at a secluded mansion on top of a small mountain in Cadata.

    The spot they teleported in faced the edge of a cliff, giving Keith a stunning view of a nearby city. Before he could fully appreciate the sight, Serilla dragged him along a stone path as she said, ¡°This whole mountain belongs to Zeidrick, and both his home and workshop are here.¡±

    The two wandered through the woods for a few minutes before arriving at a clearing, where a rundown cabin stood next to a flat metal platform. Countless strangely shaped magical machines littered the platform, the functions of which Keith had no idea.

    When they arrived, the door to the wooden cabin opened slightly, a pair of eyes staring at them from within. Keith looked over, and when he did, the door slammed shut. Keith gawked, baffled. A few moments later, someone¡¯s head appeared at the bottom of a window, their eyes just barely visible.

    At this time, Serilla spoke, ¡°Oh, I forgot to tell you. Zeidrick has crippling social anxiety.¡±

    Keith¡¯s puzzlement vanished, replaced by empathy. He¡¯d never experienced anxiety before, but seeing how the legendary craftsman was behaving, his condition was surely a pitiful one.

    Wanting to greet the renowned craftsman formally, Keith approached the door, only to hear several locks click into place. Knowing it was inappropriate to laugh, Keith held his mouth shut and turned to his Aunt for help.

    Serilla clicked her tongue before shouting, ¡°Zeidrick, did you take your medicine today?!¡±

    Keith swore he heard a groan from inside the cabin. A moment later, the door opened as a frail young man with thin hair strode out with a boisterous laugh, ¡°Serilla, so lovely to see you! Your weapon is one of this king¡¯s best, so why have you come? Surely it isn¡¯t broken?¡±

    Keith¡¯s eyebrows twitched as numerous questions swirled in his mind. Did Zeidrick just refer to himself as a king in the third person? Wasn¡¯t he crippled by anxiety just a second ago? What medicine did he take for such a change to occur?

    Serilla glared at Zeidrick for a good minute before pointing at Keith. ¡°I¡¯m introducing a new client to you. This is Markus and Mariane¡¯s son, Keith Walker.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Zeidrick nearly collapsed to the ground in shock. Too afraid to look at Keith, he pulled out a bottle with a trembling hand and downed several pills, returning to normal a moment later. ¡°Haha, so the rumors were true! Hmph! Even Yara¡¯s grandson has to come to me for a weapon. Isn¡¯t this emperor amazing?!¡±

    Keith turned to his Aunt with a look that said, ¡®Can we go somewhere else?¡¯

    ¡°Come, come, enter this god¡¯s abode and let¡¯s chat,¡± Zeidrick guffawed as he dragged an unwilling Keith into the small cabin, followed by his Aunt.

 Collect The World - Chapter 17

    Chapter 17

    The inside of the cabin was several times bigger than its outward appearance would suggest, but it was a mess. Dirty dishes and clothes littered the floor, while complicated blueprints Keith couldn¡¯t make sense of covered the walls.

    As Zeidrick cleared off a table by pushing everything onto the floor, Keith heard his Aunt mutter profanities. Pulling out some chairs, Zeidrick motioned his guests to sit before taking a seat himself. Keith looked down at his chair, finding some underwear lying on top. Holding back his disgust before the revered craftsman, Keith used his foot to push the undergarments off before sitting down.

    Putting on the most charming smile Keith could, he complimented, ¡°You look really young for your age. Do you have any secrets you can share?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Zeidrick looked completely baffled before realizing Keith misunderstood something. ¡°Serilla didn¡¯t tell you? I, the number one craftsman under heaven, inherited my father¡¯s name. I took over his work when he died some years ago, so I¡¯m still under 30.¡±

    ¡°Wow, you must be a mega genius.¡± Keith was amazed that Zeidrick the second could match his father at such a young age even though the latter spent over a hundred years learning his craft.

    ¡°Haha, you flatter me,¡± Zeidrick roared with laughter as he rubbed the back of his head, ripping off a few strands of what little hair he had left in the process.

    ¡°He¡¯s not as great as you think,¡± Serilla commented with her arms crossed.

    When Keith started feeling uncomfortable because of his rude Aunt, he saw Zeidrick secretly give Serilla a pleading look. Wondering what was going on, Keith glanced at his Aunt, who said, ¡°I¡¯m not saying Zeidrick isn¡¯t talented, but his unique skills come from a special item called an Inheritance Book. It was the same with his father.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of such an item,¡± Keith mused aloud. ¡°Where¡¯d it come from?¡±

    Serilla looked at her nephew with a cold expression. ¡°Yara.¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± Zeidrick pouted. ¡°While that item gave me a complete set of skills for crafting items, I had to put in a lot of work to raise my levels.¡±

    Serilla snorted as Zeidrick leaned in and spoke in a soft voice. ¡°Do you guys wanna know more about it?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Keith was always interested in strange and fantastical items, so he copied Zeidrick and hunched over the table while Serilla closed her eyes, appearing disinterested.

    Zeidrick looked around the cabin to make sure they were alone before whispering, ¡°Don¡¯t repeat what I¡¯m about to tell you. That Inheritance Book of Yara¡¯s? What grade do you think it is?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Keith speculated, ¡°you''re renowned as the best craftsman in the world, so the skills it gave you are definitely top-tier. I¡¯d wager it¡¯s mythic grade with a plus modifier.¡±

    ¡°Heh,¡± Zeidrick snickered as he watched Keith¡¯s expression. ¡°Of course you¡¯d think that. Mythic is the highest grade in the world, right?¡±

    ¡°What are you saying?¡± Serilla opened her eyes and locked onto Zeidrick like an eagle watching its prey.

    Zeidrick, in a rare show of confidence, stared back with a smirk. ¡°Transcendent. That¡¯s the grade of the item she used on my father and me.¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°Impossible.¡± Serilla sneered, not believing Zeidrick for a second. ¡°No wonder why you don¡¯t like taking your medicine. It makes you delusional.¡±

    Zeidrick shrugged, disinclined to argue over the truth. Meanwhile, Keith¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°I believe you, Zeidrick.¡±

    ¡°Haha! Good kid!¡± Zeidrick clapped his hands in joy before suddenly growing serious. ¡°So, what weapon do you want? Are you a brawler like your mom? Or maybe you¡¯ll take after your old man and use a greatsword?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Keith scratched his cheek uncertainly, ¡°people say you can make all sorts of weapons. Is it possible to make mind-controlled orbs that can cast skills?¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Zeidrick quickly pulled out a fresh blueprint and began drawing. ¡°I see what you¡¯re going for. One thousand orbs infused with flight magic and linked to your mind wreaking havoc as they fly around the battlefield. Haha, it¡¯s all growing clear. Yes! Wonderful!¡±

    ¡°No, it won¡¯t work!¡± Zeidrick suddenly stood to his feet with crazed eyes. ¡°There¡¯s no way you can sustain the mana cost of five thousand orbs shooting skills left and right. It¡¯s impossible to even with the best mana reduction gear.¡±

    As Zeidrick began pacing around the cabin and rummaging through old blueprints, Keith sighed helplessly, already knowing that mana was the number one issue preventing his ideal weapon from coming to fruition. Just as he was about to explain his second choice, Zeidrick screamed. ¡°I¡¯ve got it!¡±

    Walking back to the table, Zeidrick sat down with a reluctant expression. ¡°Damn, do I, the supreme creator, have to ask that old fossil for help?¡±

    Serilla narrowed her eyes and asked. ¡°Are you talking about William Frisk?¡±

    ¡°Who else? That bastard just won¡¯t stop coming up with insane inventions. Just recently, he was able to modify a pocket dimension of all things.¡± Zeidrick spat unhappily and looked to Keith. ¡°You¡¯re in luck. Using Frisk¡¯s new technology, we can fill a pocket dimension with mana reactors and then pull mana from them to fuel your orbs. Usually, that wouldn¡¯t be possible since a pocket dimension severs any connection going in or out. But thanks to Frisk, that isn¡¯t a problem anymore.¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Serilla slapped the table and reprimanded. ¡°You want an 18-year-old kid to use one of the military''s greatest assets for personal use? Besides, what do you mean by filling a pocket dimension with them? Only ten exist, with the creation of each one costing uncountable resources! Foolish! Wasteful!¡±

    Zeidrick shrunk into his chair after Serilla¡¯s outburst while Keith wisely kept quiet. Although Keith had never heard of a mana reactor before, he could guess its function just from its name. How awesome would it be to carry one around inside a pocket dimension?

    At that moment, Zeidrick¡¯s magic tablet lit up. He habitually opened it to see the notification, only to burst into laughter.

    ¡°What?¡± Serilla snapped, utterly annoyed with Zeidrick¡¯s manic behavior.

    ¡°Take a look for yourself,¡± Zeidrick said with a smug grin as he pushed his magic tablet over.

    Serilla casually looked at the screen, only to freeze. ¡°Is she crazy?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Keith asked curiously, wondering what was on the tablet.

    Serilla looked at her nephew in disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s a message from Yara. She¡¯s gifting you a mana reactor.¡±

    ¡°Wow, is she psychic? Wait, never mind.¡± Keith recalled the conversation with his mom and Aunt a few days ago. Surely Yara wasn¡¯t all-knowing, right?

    Keith followed with a question. ¡°How expensive is a mana reactor anyway?

    ¡°Um,¡± Zeidrick guessed uncertainly, ¡°probably a billion gold? Maybe a trillion?¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Keith stared at the table in a daze.

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to start. I¡¯ll try to get a prototype to you by the end of the week.¡± Zeidrick began drawing various designs as he said, ¡°Make sure you can handle the load on your mind. Do you have the requisite skills?¡±

    ¡°Not yet.¡± Keith pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to his Aunt. ¡°Do you think this is okay?¡±

    Serilla glanced over it before nodding. ¡°No problem.¡±

    Keith relaxed as Serilla stood and made for the door. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of this dump and get you the skills. After that, I¡¯ll take you home.¡±

    ¡°It was nice meeting you, Zeidrick!¡± Keith waved goodbye, but Zeidrick was too focused on his work to respond.

    Leaving the cabin, the two made their way to the teleportation array down the trail. Serilla stayed silent as she thought about Yara¡¯s involvement in this previously minor matter. Why did she gift one of humanity¡¯s greatest weapons to Keith, a budding adult with little to no combat experience? What did she see in his future?

 Collect The World - Chapter 18

    Chapter 18

    Serilla brought Keith to Cadata¡¯s largest military base, Fort Hellsing. Teleportation was restricted here, so they had to walk in from outside. As they approached the entrance, one of the guards stationed there moved to stop them, but before he could say anything, Serilla flashed a diamond badge. Startled, the guard stepped back and made a signal to his companions, who then opened the gate leading into Fort Hellsing.

    Keith followed his Aunt in, observing the guard as he passed. The standard-issue armor worn by the military sported a sleek silver design and was as imposing as it was stylish. Keith approved.

    Upon entering the compound, Keith immediately noticed the placement of the buildings was disorderly and wasted a lot of space. Serilla seemed to know Keith¡¯s puzzlement and answered, ¡°An underground array spans across the entire base. The buildings sit above important nodes.¡±

    ¡°No wonder.¡± Keith nodded, vaguely understanding that nodes served a critical function in arrays.

    Switching his attention to the people, Keith found he had to adjust his understanding of a military base. Unlike the guards at the entrance, the people inside wore formal military attire, a mix of silver and black. They weren¡¯t soldiers prepared for combat at a moment¡¯s notice but seemed more like office workers in a hurry.

    A few minutes later, the two entered what Keith found to be the busiest building on the base, with people continuously entering and leaving with joyful expressions. As the base¡¯s only armory, anyone with military merits could come here to purchase whatever their heart desired. Although Keith had no merit to his name, his Aunt did.

    After waiting ten minutes in line, Serilla approached the newly available counter and passed over her diamond badge and the list Keith handed her not too long ago to the clerk. ¡°I want these skills.¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± The male clerk, a youth not much older than Keith, blinked his eyes at the badge, then at Serilla. ¡°You are¡­?¡±

    ¡°The skills,¡± Serilla repeated coolly.

    ¡°Right, sorry, ma¡¯am.¡± The clerk wiped the non-existent sweat from his forehead and looked over the list. ¡°Um, this will take me a few minutes to get. Please wait.¡±

    When the clerk disappeared to grab the goods, Keith gave his Aunt a thumbs up.

    ¡°Hmph.¡± Serilla raised her chin slightly, satisfied with the clerk¡¯s reaction. Typically she wouldn¡¯t give such interactions a second thought, but now that she was with her nephew, she strangely felt the desire to show off.

    A few minutes later, the clerk reappeared carrying a large crate. Placing it on the counter, he slid it over and released a breath. ¡°Everything you want is here, and I already deducted your merits.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Serilla replied as she gave Keith a nod.

    Putting a hand on the crate, Keith stored it in his inventory. The box contained what he needed to control his orbs and the skills to socket into them. As every orb would likely hold four to five skills each, and because Keith didn¡¯t know how many orbs he could control, he decided to plan long-term and get a whole bunch.

    From skills with high mana cost to low mana cost, high cooldown to low cooldown, technical to traditional, debuff to buffs, support to control, he pretty much got skills of every type.

    As they walked out of the armory and headed towards the exit, Keith glanced at his Aunt and grinned. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like how spoiled I was?¡±

    Serilla looked ahead and replied without any shame. ¡°As long as you¡¯re working to improve yourself, I don¡¯t see a problem.¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°Haha.¡± Keith gave his Aunt a side hug as they walked. ¡°Well, in any case, thanks for spoiling me. It must have cost a lot.¡±

    ¡°Not really. As a member of the four families, my merit points are infinite. I can get more whenever I want,¡± Serilla explained.

    ¡°Oh. That doesn¡¯t seem right,¡± Keith suddenly felt awkward. Was the military meant to serve the four families or protect humanity?

    Serilla clicked her tongue. ¡°You think I just take whatever I want? I have responsibilities to fulfill for this benefit.¡±

    Keith shuddered at the word ¡®responsibility.¡¯ Such a word wasn¡¯t in his vocabulary, what with his Mom giving him whatever he wanted his whole life.

    Arriving home a short while later, Keith asked his Aunt a question. ¡°Auntie, why didn¡¯t you believe Zeidrick? I had a famous university teacher lecture at school once, and she made some very reasonable arguments about higher tiers existing.¡±

    Serilla sighed in exhaustion as if she had had this conversation many times before. ¡°That lecturer must¡¯ve believed in the multiple dimensions theory, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she did.¡± Keith grew excited just thinking about it. ¡°For example, if you pay attention to the words of the skill attached to a teleportation ring, it says ¡®create a portal to a previously explored location within the current dimension.¡¯ Why does it say current dimension? The System isn¡¯t known for being vague.¡±

    Serilla countered. ¡°If there are other dimensions like our own, why haven¡¯t we discovered them in all these years?¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡± Keith had no response. Before Yara united the warring human tribes, humanity had existed for thousands of years. Surely there¡¯d be signs of other dimensions over all this time?

    ¡°Speculating and theorizing is all good and fun, but in the end, I only know that in our world, or dimension as some call it, mythic is the limit, no matter what methods you use.¡± Serilla paused for a moment. ¡°Level 500 is the limit as well.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean someone is level 500?¡± Keith gasped in surprise. He knew Uncle Doven was level 442, but each additional level took ages to acquire.

    Serilla raised her head to the sky. ¡°Yara and your father have definitely reached level 500, and I¡¯d imagine a few core people in the military have as well.¡±

    ¡°Wow, I¡¯m only level 159 and already feel so powerful, so how strong would someone level 500 be?¡± Keith¡¯s thoughts went wild as he imagined juggling mountains. ¡°By the way, what level are you?¡±

    Serilla looked back at her nephew. ¡°Level 493.¡±

    ¡°Damn!¡± Keith clicked his tongue and felt a bit embarrassed. ¡°Was training with me even a warmup for you?¡±

    ¡°Nope, it was like playing with a baby,¡± Serilla smirked as she glanced at her watch. ¡°I have work to do, so I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±

    Keith watched his Aunt disappear through the teleportation array before heading into the house to regale his sisters of his meeting with Zeidrick. At the same time, he decided to inform them of his family¡¯s true identity, but to his surprise, Annallee and Elora already knew the truth when they turned 18. A bit disappointed that he didn¡¯t get to see their reactions, he went to his room after catching up with his sisters and began sorting through the hundreds of skill gems.

    Keith thought about adding them to his Collection Grimoire to see if anything would unlock at the shop but decided against it after figuring he¡¯d need to spend a lot of gold to withdraw them for the orbs. Regardless, thinking of new functions reminded him of what he unlocked yesterday after spending his second paycheck.

    Equipment Repair ¨C 1 million CP

    Description: Repair the durability of a piece of equipment. Durability repaired and mana cost varies. No cooldown.

    Equipment Enhancement ¨C 5 million CP

    Description: Temporarily enhance the stats and abilities of a piece of equipment. Enhancement percent, duration, and mana cost vary. No cooldown.

    At the time, Keith contacted Adeiv to inquire about the money-making potential of the skills, and according to Adeiv, Equipment Repair was too common, but Equipment Enhancement held promise. Unfortunately, Keith was a few million CP off from purchasing it, so he laid the idea to rest for now.

    Sadly, there were no functions related to monster eggs yet. Keith hoped his Grimoire would gain the ability to customize them soon, as the monster egg market was incredibly lucrative. Some people could fuse monster eggs, upgrade their inherited stats, or change their skills, resulting in a more powerful monster pet.

    Of the rarer abilities, there was Big Sally, a chef with an innate gift that allowed her to cook monster eggs, or Ska¡¯dur, a barbarian that could absorb monster eggs to gain its traits. In battle, he could morph his body into different monster parts as he pleased.

    Keith didn¡¯t mind what unlocked as long as it wasn¡¯t something like Ska¡¯dur¡¯s. Keith was quite satisfied with his current appearance, so turning into a human-monster hybrid didn¡¯t sound all too appealing.

 Collect The World - Chapter 19

    Chapter 19

    Adeiv Strinde was a principled man, perhaps due to the influence of his parents, who drafted regulations and laws in the government. When he was an adventurer, he always distributed the loot fairly, and at his mana workshop, he made sure to treat his employees well. Adeiv even informed them of their rights upon hiring them.

    Whether it be Adeiv¡¯s strength as a level 380+ former adventurer or how he conducted his business, it didn¡¯t take long to become the best in the industry. Long gone were the days when he needed to calculate finances or seek clients personally. Now, he had specialists for that. Besides creating contracts, Adeiv no longer needed to manage his business as much as he did.

    That left him with a lot of time to think.

    In his office, he ruminated about the world: how it was fair to some and unfair to others. He contemplated the differences between elves, humans, dwarves, orcs, and demons. How did their societies differ? What values did they have? Or what of the System? Why did it function the way it did?

    Of all these questions, Adeiv always found himself drifting back to a particular one: what would he do about it? He became an adventurer for power, started a business for wealth, and now that he had both, what now? There were problems in this world he thought needed solving. For one, the value of venerating the strong and dismissing the weak needed to go. Second, a better way for peopl-

    ¡°Mr. Strinde? Your next appointment is here.¡± The receptionist''s voice pulled him from his thoughts. Focusing on the present, Adeiv stood up to greet his next client, an older man named Frod.

    ¡°I¡¯m Adeiv Strinde. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± Adeiv introduced himself as he tried to keep a straight face due to Frod¡¯s sense of style. For some reason, the older gentleman wore a set of clothes you¡¯d only see at the beach. The pair of sunglasses on his bald head, along with the colorful t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops, contrasted greatly with his long, well-groomed beard.

    ¡°How¡¯s it hangin¡¯, yo?¡± Frod clasped Adeiv¡¯s hand with a pearly white smile.

    Adeiv nearly tripped when he heard Frod speak, but as a professional, he smoothly recovered with a laugh. "I¡¯m fine, just fine. Come, please sit.¡±

    Returning to his desk, Adeiv made some small talk before asking, ¡°So, you¡¯re here to inspect my business, correct?¡±

    Unlike Adeiv¡¯s usual clients, Frod was an inspector from the government. When Adeiv received the notice, he wasn¡¯t alarmed in the slightest. There was nothing for him to hide, unlike his competitors.

    Frod cleared his throat. ¡°Bruh, don¡¯t trip. That was only a front, yo.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Adeiv¡¯s amicable expression disappeared.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Check this out, yo.¡± Frod retrieved a badge from his inventory and handed it over. ¡°You recognize this?¡±

    Adeiv forced back his frustration as he glanced down, only to freeze upon seeing the cloaked figure etched onto the onyx badge. While onyx was rare and a near-indestructible metal, the cloaked figure was more important.

    As a high leveled individual, Adeiv was privy to some secrets. According to what he knew, anyone possessing this badge belonged to an elite force directly under the command of the four families. Each member had a level well over 400 and mastery over several legacy skills.

    Adeiv looked up at Frod with a solemn face. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you, sir.¡±

    As Adeiv prepared to hand the badge back over, Frod held up a hand. ¡°Hold up, yo. That¡¯s yours if ya dig?¡±

    ¡°Is this related to a few years ago?¡± Adeiv cocked an eyebrow. ¡°If I remember correctly, I failed the application process.¡±

    ¡°Everyone does, yo.¡± Frod scrubbed an ear with his pinky as he explained, ¡°We¡¯ve been snooping on you, you hear?¡±

    While Adeiv was getting irritated with Frod¡¯s manner of speaking, the realization of the situation suddenly set in. He actually passed the strict requirements to enter Umbra? Holy crap, was this really happening?

    ¡°Um,¡± Frod coughed awkwardly. ¡°Actually, we still wanted to wait a bit, but you got luck on your side, yo.¡±

    ¡°How do you mean?¡± Adeiv was confused. Did he pass or not?

    ¡°Your client, Mr. K? Real name¡¯s Keith Walker.¡± Frod¡¯s presence suddenly grew heavy. ¡°He¡¯s special, yo. Very special. We want you to be our liaison with him. If cool, you''re in. If not, maybe later. No sweat.¡±

    Adeiv thought back to the young man he met a few weeks ago. Sure enough, he guessed correctly. Mr. K was a descendent of one of the four families. Although it hurt his ego a little that he wasn¡¯t exactly qualified to enter Umbra on his own, he would take this chance to move up in the world.

    Clasping Umbra¡¯s badge tightly, Adeiv said, ¡°Tell me what I need to do.¡±

    ¡°Sweet, bro.¡± Frod stood up and made a gesture with his fingers. ¡°I¡¯ll let Robi fill you in on the details, peace.¡±

    To Adeiv¡¯s surprise, another person became visible just behind where Frod teleported away, presumably Robi. A black cloak hid her armor as she sat down and pulled off her hood, revealing a charming young woman.

    She observed Adeiv for a moment before saying, ¡°Adeiv, I¡¯ll be straight with you. If not for your unique innate gift, integrity, and the way you handled your affairs over the past few years, you wouldn¡¯t meet our standards. Your level is low, but that¡¯s easily resolvable. What matters is your lack of legacy skills.¡±

    Adeiv quickly approved of Robi. She was candid and straightforward, albeit a bit harsh. He responded with a nod. ¡°I know. I¡¯ve had the opportunity to learn a few, but they didn¡¯t appeal to me.¡±

    ¡°So be it.¡± Robi sighed. ¡°Frod likes your character, so we¡¯re giving you a chance. As long as you can reach level 200 in two legacy skills within a year, you¡¯ll become a full member of Umbra. If not, then you¡¯ll remain a liaison. We have a few hundred options to choose from, so you can only blame your lack of talent if you fail.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Thank you for the opportunity,¡± Adeiv paused before asking, ¡°What¡¯s Frod¡¯s position in Umbra? He seems like an interesting person.¡±

    Robi looked at Adeiv as she considered how much to reveal before this new comrade of hers. After a moment, she answered with a half-truth. ¡°He¡¯s our boss, get it?¡±

    It took a second for Adeiv to register what she meant. If anyone were Umbra¡¯s boss, it would be the four families. If that was the case, considering Frod¡¯s age, didn¡¯t that mean he just talked with the head of one of the four families?

    As Adeiv struggled to contain his excitement, Robi began the tiresome job of explaining everything Adeiv needed to know. ¡°You¡¯ll learn of many secrets in due time. For now, we want you to maintain your current relationship with Keith¡­.¡±

 Collect The World - Chapter 20

    Chapter 20

    Keith sat before several rows of skill gems in his room.

    After familiarizing himself with their descriptions, he thought it¡¯d be fun to check their prices on the auction house. Due to how easy it was to acquire them, Keith thought they wouldn¡¯t be worth much, but it turns out he vastly underestimated their value.

    Surprisingly, the combined cost of the few hundred skill gems was worth more than the collection in his Grimoire. Upon learning that, Keith felt ashamed, but only a little. He¡¯d long gotten used to getting whatever he wanted, so he didn¡¯t think much of it, only feeling more grateful than before.

    By this point, it was already past Keith¡¯s usual bedtime, so he quickly piled the skill gems back into the crate, except for three. Unlike the rest, he needed to learn these himself.

    [Mythic] Mind Enhancement

    Description: Speeds up your thinking speed. Intelligence Scaling: A. Conserves 10% mana while active. Each level increases effectiveness.

    [Mythic] Mind Division

    Description: Gain the ability to divide your mind. Each level reduces the drop in cognitive ability.

    Remark 1: Cognitive ability decreases with every division.

    [Legendary] Sensory Link

    Description: Link your senses with another being or object. Mana consumption increases depending on the amount linked and the distance between links. Each level reduces mana consumed.

    For Keith to control the orbs efficiently, he needed to think and process many things at once. Something like that was beyond a human¡¯s natural ability, so he could only turn to monster skills for answers.

    The skills Keith needed only dropped from a Grand Lich, and it was no pushover. As a level 450 Rift Boss that controlled an army of undead, it was one of the strongest monsters in the world, and only the military could take on such a beast. If any of its skills dropped, they reserved it for humanity¡¯s top scientists, with only a few stored in the military¡¯s armory at any given time.

    According to the skill encyclopedia, they were a military secret. Curious, Keith tried looking up their price and discovered they¡¯d never appeared on the auction house. Furthermore, there was little to no information about them on the magic network.

    Knowing all that, Keith couldn¡¯t help but feel it was a pity to use them. As a hoarder, he felt a distinct sense of satisfaction whenever he added an item to his collection, and the rarer and more exotic, the stronger the feeling. Better yet, just perusing his collection gave that same high. It was addicting.

    Sadly, Keith knew his Aunt would kill him if he didn¡¯t learn these skills. They were for the explicit purpose of controlling the orbs. Without them, it was impossible. However, if he acquired the skill gems through his own means, he¡¯d store them in his Grimoire without hesitation.

    Sighing heavily and feeling deeply uncomfortable, Keith interacted with the System and finally learned the skills. As the gems disappeared in his hands, he strangely felt better. Many people would do anything to acquire what now belonged to him, and awareness of that fact gave rise to a different sense of satisfaction.

    Keith took some time to try and understand what he was experiencing. While it was ultimately due to his connections that he acquired such skills and was by no means through his own effort, it didn¡¯t stop him from feeling prideful. Before, he felt happy whenever he looked at his collection, but now Keith felt happy knowing he possessed what others did not. One was external, and the other internal. He didn¡¯t know if one was better than the other, but it sure did feel good.

    Focusing back on his new skills, Keith first brought up Mind Enhancement''s information. The first thing that stood out was the skill¡¯s A grade stat scaling, as only the best skills in the world had scaling that high. From lowest to highest, it went from F, E, D, C, B, and A.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    In this case, the higher Keith¡¯s Intelligence, the better Mind Enhancement would perform. The skill¡¯s scaling grade determined how efficient his Intelligence stat would be¡ª and no matter what, F grade scaling was miles behind A grade in terms of performance.

    Moving onto the next skill, Mind Division allowed Keith to clone his mind at the cost of reducing his cognitive ability. A skill like Mind Enhancement was crucial to not become mentally impaired after dividing his mind a few times. What if he became so stupid he lost the ability to turn the skill off?

    While the first two skills were essential to making Keith¡¯s fighting style a reality, Sensory Link was just as important. With it, Keith would be able to turn the orbs into his eyes and ears. Otherwise, if he fought in an area with lots of obstacles, like a forest, he¡¯d only be able to control the orbs within his sight, significantly limiting his attack range. It would also help with depth perception, angles, movement, and other factors.

    Of all three skills, Keith first learned Mind Enhancement. As he did, the skill gem crumbled into dust as a new skill appeared in his skill list. Like all passive skills, Mind Enhancement didn¡¯t show its effects just by possessing it. Keith needed to toggle it on. And like all passive skills, it conserved mana from the user. In this case, Mind Enhancement prevented Keith from using 10% of his mana pool while it was active.

    When Keith still attended school, he heard a teacher say that the System most likely made passive skills conserve mana to bring balance. Keith thought it made sense, or else someone could just learn all the passive skills in the world and ascend to the top.

    Growing expectant, Keith activated Mind Enhancement and wondered how to test it. While he could look up some math problems, why not count backward from 1,000 by 7?

    Keith was by no means great with numbers, but as soon as he began counting backward, he immediately noticed a difference. 993, 986, 979. The answer came to the forefront of his mind as soon as he thought about it. In no time at all, Keith already counted down to 853. Quickly turning off the skill, Keith found himself thinking at a snail¡¯s pace compared to before.

    ¡°What a difference,¡± Keith muttered as he felt his normal thinking speed was now much too slow. As of this moment, he decided to keep Mind Enhancement on as much as possible.

    Next, Keith learned Mind Divison, growing cautious as he did so. He didn¡¯t want to go all out and see how much he could divide his mind, only to become stupid for the rest of his life. To be safe, he only willed his mind to divide once.

    As it did, he could tell there was something different, but he couldn¡¯t place a finger on it. Thinking to his previous experiment, Keith began counting backward from 1,000 by 7 and 6 simultaneously.

    To his surprise, Keith discovered there were now two voices in his head, two trains of thought occurring alongside each other, both connected but not interfering with each other in any way. It was a strange feeling that Keith couldn¡¯t immediately get used to.

    Like before, his speed at counting down was exceptionally fast, much more than his normal thinking speed, yet he could tell it was slower by some degree. Curious, Keith deactivated Mind Enhancement to more accurately gauge the difference.

    Thinking it wouldn¡¯t affect him too much, Keith was alarmed to find his thoughts growing sluggish to the point it was hard to form a single thought. Terrified, a flood of adrenaline rushed through his brain, giving him enough of a kick to reactivate Mind Enhancement immediately.

    Soaked in sweat, Keith berated himself for underestimating his new skills. From now on, he vowed to never divide his mind without Mind Enhancement active. At the same time, he couldn¡¯t help but lament that a human¡¯s thinking speed was much too slow. Without anything improving his cognitive ability like Mind Enhancement, dividing his mind once almost crippled him. Sadly, the Intelligence stat only increased maximum mana and had nothing to do with increasing cognitive ability.

    After scaring himself, Keith no longer harbored the thought to see how much he could divide his mind. Instead, he moved on to the last skill gem he needed to learn, one without any hidden dangers. Like before, the skill gem turned to dust upon granting him the skill.

    Standing up, Keith approached his desk and grabbed a pencil. Focusing, he activated Sensory Link and cloned his senses onto the pencil. Sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell. Under the System''s power, the pencil now had all five senses even though it lacked the required biology.

    As for Keith, he was experiencing something incredibly bizarre. Even as he looked down at the pencil in his hand, he was also looking up at himself. He could smell his hand and hear how his skin rubbed against the pencil.

    At first, Keith thought he¡¯d need to go through some training to get used to Sensory Link, but to his surprise, he found his cloned senses came naturally. Wondering what his limit would be, Keith linked himself to a variety of items in his room until he experienced sensory overload. Nodding to himself, Keith learned that he could link his senses to about 30 objects with Mind Enhancement active. Any more than that and his brain couldn¡¯t process the information.

    After all this, Keith now understood his theorized battle style relied heavily on his cognitive ability. Not only did he need to calculate all sorts of things during a fight and process sensory information, dividing his mind lowered his cognitive ability as well. It was unfortunate Mind Enhancement was likely the only monster skill in the world that improved cognitive functions.

    Thinking to himself, Keith wondered how many orbs he could control with his current Intelligence. Hopefully, at least five. If it was less than that, this battle style¡¯s requirements were too high to be viable. And that was without even considering the mana costs.

    For now, Keith just needed to wait until Zeidrick finished the weapons. Until then, he would continue experimenting with his new skills.

 Collect The World - Chapter 21

    Chapter 21

    A few days after scaring himself witless, Keith carefully tested how much he could divide his mind with Mind Enhancement active while still keeping enough cognitive ability to fight. The number wasn¡¯t outside his expectations, with it turning out to be ten until he reached his usual cognitive level.

    For now, it would suffice, as he only wanted to learn how to fight with the orbs and wouldn¡¯t target any monsters around his level until he felt sufficiently prepared.

    After discovering how much he could divide his mind, Keith continued to pass the time by experimenting with Sensory Link or theorizing how to utilize his hundreds of skill gems. There were really way too many possible combinations for him to find the best answer, so he just tried the best he could.

    Like this, the days passed until finally, Keith received a message from his Aunt over a week later. She wrote that Zeidrick finished producing the first batch of orbs, but he was too anxious for another face-to-face, so she would deliver them herself.

    Keith had long grown impatient, so he immediately stopped what he was doing when he read the message. As it was still early in the morning, he quickly did his hair and brushed his teeth before his Aunt arrived. When he finished and rushed down the stairs, he found his Aunt sitting in the living room with a wide crate placed on the table nearby.

    ¡°Is that it?!¡± Keith exclaimed with glee as he approached the crate and prepared to open it.

    ¡°Wait.¡± Serilla placed a hand on the lid. ¡°Zeidrick said this was only the first batch and is more of a test version rather than the completed product, so keep your expectations low. He wants you to give him your feedback after you use them in the field.¡±

    Standing up, Serilla pushed the lid off, revealing two rows of black balls twice the size of a fist. Picking one up, she handed it to Keith, who remarked, ¡°It¡¯s so light.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s made from veranium,¡± Serilla explained languidly, too lazy to explain its rarity to her nephew.

    Turning it over in his hands, Keith saw that the orb was completely round except for five notches that matched the shape of skill gems. After holding it up to the light, he discovered thin lines engraved on the orb¡¯s surface, their purpose unknown. Finally, Keith used Inspect.

    [Mythic] Orb of Casting

    Description: A device made by a skilled craftsman. Formed from veranium, it possesses little weight, immense durability and is an excellent conductor for energy. The arrays imbued grant flight, increased defense, increased speed, decreased weight, mind link, and blood signature. At its center lay a sigil containing a spatial node that leads to a specified location, with corresponding pathways running throughout the orb. Another sigil rests below the five skill slots, which grants the Orb of Casting the ability to use skill gems.

    ¡°Wow, how could Zeidrick pack so much into this little thing? And what¡¯s a sigil?¡± Keith looked up at his Aunt in surprise and awe. Of all the orb¡¯s abilities, he understood the ones granted by arrays, but he had no clue what sigils were.

    ¡°It seems like a more advanced version of arrays,¡± Serilla shrugged. ¡°Probably due to his ¡®transcendent¡¯ skillset.¡±

    Although Keith was unaware, any other craftsman would¡¯ve rejected his weapon idea on the spot because they couldn¡¯t create an autonomous object that cast skills on its own. Unless there was an innate gift allowing it, there was no craftsman with that ability. Only Zeidrick, with his allegedly transcendent skillset, could.

    Serilla handed Keith a knife. ¡°Let it absorb a drop of your blood.¡±

    ¡°Ugh.¡± Keith groaned as he carefully pricked his finger, allowing some of his blood to fall onto the orb. As if it was a living creature, the orb absorbed his blood as a connection between the two formed.

    Growing excited, Keith willed the orb in his hand to rise. Upon receiving his command, the orb silently rose until it reached eye level. Keith smiled brightly. ¡°So cool!¡±

    The window was halfway open on the other side of the room, giving Keith an idea. With a thought, the orb zipped away, shooting so fast it caught Keith by surprise. In the next moment, it shot a hole through the glass as it flew outside.

    ¡°Opps.¡± Keith stuck out his tongue as he willed the orb to come back inside, only to create another hole as it did.

    Holding the orb in his hand, Keith awkwardly turned to his Aunt, who gave him a look. ¡°Maybe find somewhere else to practice?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll use my warehouse.¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Now that Keith¡¯s warehouse was empty, it turned into an excellent spot for him to get used to controlling his orbs.

    Anxious to get started, Keith shamelessly ignored the broken window and placed the orb he used back into the crate. Before he could pick it up, his Aunt stopped him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you forgetting something?¡±

    Serilla extended her hand, revealing an inconspicuous ring on her palm. Keith¡¯s eyes widened when he realized what it was, but as he went to grab the ring, his Aunt pulled her hand away and said, ¡°Before I hand this to you, you must promise never to touch the mana reactor or cast any skills inside. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Is it that dangerous?¡± Keith asked after seeing her expression.

    Serilla scoffed. ¡°If this thing explodes outside, it could destroy an entire city. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Uh.¡± Keith backed away. ¡°I don¡¯t want it. You can keep it.¡±

    ¡°Hmph.¡± Serilla stepped forward and forcefully placed the ring in Keith¡¯s palm. ¡°A pocket dimension is incredibly sturdy. If it explodes, you¡¯ll be fine. At most, the ring will shatter.¡±

    When Keith initially heard of a mana reactor and what it was, he was very curious to see how it looked. Now, however, he¡¯d rather keep it a mystery.

    Looking down at the ring, Keith reluctantly freed one of his fingers to put it on before asking a question, ¡°So how much mana does it generate?¡±

    Serilla shrugged. ¡°No matter the method, it never ran out of mana, so as far as we know, it¡¯s unlimited.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem right,¡± Keith remarked, knowing the System wouldn¡¯t allow such a balance-breaking item to exist.

    ¡°What do you know?¡± Serilla scowled at her nephew. ¡°You don¡¯t realize how many resources went into creating this thing. All the various materials humanity stocked up over the past centuries went into these ten mana reactors. Building any more is impossible for the time being.¡±

    After understanding the weight of hoarding such an item for himself, Keith broke into a cold sweat. It made him so uncomfortable he was just about to open his mouth until his Aunt spoke first. ¡°Don¡¯t think of backing out now, brat. You finally decided to commit to something, so you better give it your all before calling it quits.¡±

    Keith felt like a defenseless rabbit standing before a lion under his Aunt¡¯s glare. Sighing heavily, he picked up the crate and made his way over to the warehouse, but not before he thanked his Aunt for her help.

    After entering the warehouse, Keith put the matter of the mana reactor aside and regained his enthusiasm for playing with the orbs. Binding each one with his blood, he divided his mind ten times, with each portion focusing on an orb. At his command, they flew into the air and began moving around.

    It was surprisingly easy to control, though mainly due to having a fantastic skill like Mind Division. Keith curiously deactivated the skill and found it impossible to control all ten orbs at once without it becoming chaotic. He even had one orb smash into his head, giving him a brief concussion. After that happened, he quickly divided his mind again to regain control.

    When Keith grew comfortable controlling the orbs, he expanded his range of influence, allowing the orbs to fly some distance away from him. That was when things got messy. Not being able to gauge the distance hampered his ability to control the orbs accurately. Thankfully, he already familiarized himself with Sensory Link.

    Once Keith cast the skill on each orb, he no longer had any problems with depth perception. It was like the orbs became an extension of his body, giving him perfect control when paired with Mind Division.

    As time passed, Keith gradually increased the speed at which the orbs moved, quickly finding out they maxed out after a certain point. While it was much faster than Keith could travel, it would eventually become a major weakness when facing higher-level monsters. For now, though, it wasn¡¯t a concern.

    Keith continued to experiment with the orbs, and thanks to the training, his new skills gained a bunch of levels.

    Mind Enhancement (Mythic) Level 1 -> 25

    Mind Division (Mythic) Level 1 -> 24

    Sensory Link (Legendary) Level 1 -> 49

    Unlike when he sparred with his Aunt, he rather enjoyed the feeling of manipulating the orbs. It would be even funner once Keith socketed some skills into them, but that would have to wait until tomorrow. Practicing all day made him tired, so he returned to his room and prepared for bed after eating a late dinner.

    Just as he put on some pajamas, someone knocked on his door. Wondering who it was, he said, ¡°Come in.¡±

    The maid, Cami, entered his room, carrying a tray with some desserts. Although Keith just ate, he wouldn¡¯t mind some sugary sweets. ¡°Thanks, Cami. Just leave it on the nightstand.¡±

    As Keith pulled his sheet aside and prepared to leap into bed, he felt a presence behind him. Turning around, he found Cami standing a few inches away, an eerie green light in her eyes. He felt something was wrong, yet he couldn¡¯t tell what it was. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Cami smiled as a dagger covered in sickly green mana appeared in her hand. Keith had no time to react as it plunged into his chest, stabbing straight through his heart as a piercing coldness spread through his being. Keith collapsed to the ground from the pain, his expression one of confusion.

    Cami walked over to stand above Keith, the green glow in her eyes growing brighter as she smiled sinisterly. ¡°Just die for me.¡±

    A few seconds passed as Keith felt his life drain from his body, consuming his total Health several times over. Even then, he didn¡¯t die, bewildering his assailant.

    Just as Cami was about to make another attack, the nearby wall blasted apart, a towering figure barreling through it while releasing a beastly growl. Uncle Doven appeared next to Cami before she could react, her pupils shrinking to the size of a needle as a massive fist smashed her skull into the ground.

    Keith watched in horror as Cami¡¯s head exploded into pieces from the force behind Doven¡¯s punch, her lower body rising into the air before hitting the ground. Some of her brain matter landed on Keith¡¯s face, but he was too stunned to be disgusted.

    The dagger in his chest disappeared when Cami died, while at the same time, a green glow shot out from her body and vanished through the walls at such speeds Keith didn¡¯t even notice. Mariane appeared from the hole in the wall made from Doven¡¯s entrance in the next moment. It only took her a second to understand what happened as she rushed to Keith and embraced him. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Keith¡¯s eyes were blank, not realizing his mother was holding him. In his mind, the scene of Cami¡¯s head exploding kept repeating. The realization that the young woman he hired a few months ago and got to know was dead. Killed in such a brutal manner right before his eyes.

 Collect The World - Chapter 22

    Chapter 22

    A few days later, Serilla visited, finding her sister in the living room drinking away her worries. At least a hundred empty bottles of alcohol filled the room, with many knocked over. When Serilla entered the room, Mariane sluggishly looked over and went to stand, but she fell over and crashed into a pile of bottles nearby. In the next moment, she began to snore.

    Serilla¡¯s brows furrowed as she said, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know who attacked Keith?¡±

    At the mention of Keith¡¯s assailant, a pulse of mana spread from Mariane as she activated a skill to detoxify her system. Jumping to her feet, she snarled, ¡°You found out who it was?¡±

    The air in the room thrummed with power as Mariane lost control of her mana. For people at her level, their emotions alone could alter their surroundings, though it was usually a sign of someone losing control. In this case, Mariane didn¡¯t care as she freely unleashed her pent-up emotions.

    Keith had barely eaten anything over the past few days, his cheerful personality all but gone. The only time he left his bed was to use the restroom. Whenever Mariane saw her son¡¯s glazed eyes, a piece of her heart shattered. If Doven didn¡¯t have a skill that linked his Health with Keith, Keith would¡¯ve died. She wanted to avenge her son, but she didn¡¯t have the skill set to chase down whoever it was, so she could only drink and wait.

    Serilla¡¯s eyes thinned. ¡°It¡¯s Vokoth¡¯s brother, Xeron. That demon¡¯s been killing promising youths for decades to cripple humanity¡¯s development, but he¡¯s a slippery one. He can plant seeds in someone, and through the seed, he¡¯s able to see what the target sees and possess them at any moment.¡±

    ¡°Coward!¡± Mariane growled, not deterred in the slightest that her foe was the demon leader¡¯s brother. To her, it didn¡¯t matter who it was. They would receive her fury.

    Serilla knew what her sister was thinking and scoffed. ¡°If you didn¡¯t laze about for the past twenty years, I¡¯d go with you, but as you are now, you¡¯ll die. Do you want Keith to lose his mother next?¡±

    Mariane cooled down a little at that last sentence. ¡°What¡¯s Markus going to do? That¡¯s his son! Surely he won¡¯t take this standing down?¡±

    Serilla shook her head. ¡°Yara told him she¡¯d handle it.¡±

    ¡°And he¡¯s just going to obey her?¡± Mariane almost flipped her lid. ¡°That damnable puppet.¡±

    ¡°Relax, sister.¡± Serilla¡¯s gaze held some anticipation. ¡°Markus obeys Yara because he fears her. When she acts, I will follow and try to uncover some of her secrets.¡±

    Mariane knew she¡¯d just expose herself if she tagged along, so she just nodded. ¡°Good. I hope Yara can kill that demon, or else¡­.¡±

    ****

    That very night, Yara strolled the streets of a city in Adira, her hands clasped behind her back. Thanks to a visiting carnival, the city was full of youthful exuberance. Many couples made their way to the exciting attractions, and Yara followed. Soon, she entered the carnival, passing through the entrance without paying for a ticket. Nobody noticed her presence.

    Yara meandered through the various attractions, seemingly lost, until suddenly, she stopped before a maze. Just as she arrived, a shady man exited, and the two stood face to face. The air stilled.

    The man grunted. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Yara¡¯s gaze bore into the man, making him uncomfortable as if she saw all his secrets. After a few moments of silence, she said, ¡°How¡¯s life been killing my people, Xeron?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re here for?¡± Xeron chuckled hoarsely. ¡°Why do you care? Weren¡¯t you the one who said we should kill some of each other¡¯s rising geniuses to put pressure on the rest?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did.¡± Yara tilted her head. ¡°But who said you could touch my grandson?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Xeron¡¯s expression shifted. ¡°Was it that Keith boy?¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    At Yara¡¯s confirmation, Xeron felt the situation turn dire, but then he remembered something. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me? Shouldn¡¯t you have known I was gonna target him with your understanding of karma?¡±

    Yara nodded. ¡°I did, but I let you act anyway.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Xeron was confused. ¡°Then you can¡¯t blame me.¡±

    ¡°Who says I can¡¯t?¡± Yara laughed as she waved her hand, summoning a portal to a place far away from the city.

    Xeron looked over at the shimmering blue passage before turning back to Yara, his expression hardening. ¡°You really want to do this after all these centuries of peace? I admit I made a mistake by targeting your grandson but isn¡¯t he alive and well? Don¡¯t forget ¨C you¡¯re just a clone. You can¡¯t match me and the others with your main body out of commission.¡±

    The light smile Yara wore turned cold. Suddenly, she flicked her wrist, and before Xeron could react, millions of lines appeared from thin air and formed into a hand that smacked him straight into the portal. Yara entered next, but not before glancing over at a shadow cast by a streetlight in the distance.

    The portal led to a flat wasteland a few regions away from Adira, far from any bystanders. When Yara appeared, Xeron had just finished returning to his actual appearance. He had red skin and two short horns on his forehead like all demons. Other than that, there were no other differences between him and a human.

    Seeing Yara follow him through the portal, Xeron snarled. ¡°You¡¯ve tested my patience far enough, Daoist. I gave you a chance to back down, but you didn¡¯t take it. Now it¡¯s too late.¡±

    Yara remained silent as Xeron continued. ¡°It was your fortune to create a true clone. Too bad it was stuck in this sealed dimension, unable to gain levels to bridge the gap between us.¡±

    Yara covered her mouth with her tiny hand and sighed exaggeratedly. ¡°Have you called your friends yet?¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Xeron cracked his neck as he ordered his seeds to return. As they did, they reaped the life force of their hosts. In seconds, his body began to glow green from the thousands of humans he had just killed, boosting his stats by a considerable amount.

    ¡°Interesting ability,¡± Yara commented with some rising anger. ¡°Unfortunately, you¡¯ve soaked yourself in karma from it.¡±

    Xeron snorted as he dashed forward, rupturing the ground in his wake. He was in front of Yara instantly, his dagger swiping towards her neck. Yara looked on in silence and only acted when the dagger was about to score a critical hit.

    With a snap of her fingers, three thousand and sixty-two red lines exuding resentment appeared around Xeron, binding him in place. That was precisely the number of people he just killed from recalling his seeds. Using the power of karma, Yara was able to control the karmic relationship between Xeron and his victims and use it against him.

    Xeron growled as he struggled to break the bindings holding him back, but the karma was too fresh. While his victims were no match for him alone, their combined might held considerable power, especially when controlled by Yara.

    Yara calmly looked on as the demon continued to use various skills in an attempt to free himself. She shook her head at his futile struggles. ¡°If you had benefited your victims before taking their lives, the karmic balance between you would not be as uneven as it is now. If you truly understood my abilities, you would have done so.¡±

    Xeron released a guttural roar, though his eyes held fear at being trapped so easily. Yara¡¯s true clone was merely level 629, a bit over a hundred levels below him. How then was it possible for her to bind him? He could see her main body doing it as she beat the sin of Sloth after a pyrrhic battle, but as one of the stronger demons, he should¡¯ve easily been able to handle a mere clone.

    Xeron wasn¡¯t aware he made a major miscalculation. He thought that since he couldn¡¯t level his skills due to this world¡¯s monsters being too low level, it must naturally be the same for her. But while Yara was trapped here like him, she was a daoist. To level her skills required understanding, and while karma was an elusive concept, personally creating a civilization from scratch over the past few centuries gave her incredible insight into karma.

    Although Xeron didn¡¯t understand the reasons, he knew he was hopelessly outmatched and immediately called for help. In the next moment, two portals appeared some distance away. A massive creature with green skin, bulging muscles, and a large jaw stepped through the portal on the left. It was Ugak, the orc chieftain. He grunted as soon as he arrived. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    From the other portal came another demon, Vokoth. Unlike his brother¡¯s thin frame, he had compact and wiry muscles forged from numerous battles. Vokoth¡¯s eyes narrowed as he ascertained the situation. ¡°Yara, what are you doing?¡±

    Yara shrugged as Xeron struggled to explain. ¡°I attempted to assassinate her grandson, and she went crazy. Help me, brother!¡±

    Contrary to Xeron¡¯s expectations, Vokoth remained still, though his expression warped beyond belief. ¡°Blasted fool, you just couldn¡¯t sit still, could you?¡±

    ¡°I-I,¡± Xeron sputtered. ¡°How could I know it was her grandson?¡±

    Vokoth turned his gaze to Yara. ¡°What do you want?¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Yara tapped her chin. ¡°His life.¡±

    Vokoth¡¯s eyes slowly turned bloodshot as he considered the trade-offs. After a few moments of silence, he asked, ¡°In turn, will you keep your promise and let my people leave when the gate opens?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Yara nodded.

    ¡°Wha-?¡± Xeron struggled to turn his neck to look back at his brother. ¡°You¡¯re giving me to this old wench?¡±

    Vokoth¡¯s gaze hardened as he looked at his fool of a brother. ¡°You¡¯ve taken Yara¡¯s benevolence for granted. When her main body inevitably wakes up, how can we stand against her? A leader must know when to advance and when to retreat.¡±

    Ugak reluctantly grunted in agreement from the side.

    Yara took a deep glance at Vokoth, and then, looking back at her captive, she suddenly snapped her fingers. At her command, the three thousand and sixty-two lines of karma tore into Xeron''s body and ripped him to shreds in an instant.

    When Vokoth witnessed his brother die such a miserable death, it was like he was hit in the chest by a hammer. However, Yara¡¯s following sentence filled him with rage. ¡°Ah, since you¡¯re both here, you might as well stay.¡±

    Vokoth clenched his hands so hard he drew blood. With a grim laugh, he asked, ¡°Is this some sort of joke?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Yara looked into the distance with a frown. ¡°She¡¯ll wake up soon. I can feel it. Before that happens, I need to remove as many variables as possible.¡±

    Ugak struggled to understand what Yara was talking about, but Vokoth had an idea of what was happening, though such a thing was nearly impossible. Shocked, he asked for confirmation. "You''ve gained independence?¡±

    Yara turned to Vokoth with a smile. ¡°Smart. As expected of a sin¡¯s general. You would¡¯ve had grand achievements if you hadn¡¯t followed Sloth.¡±

    Ugak glanced between the two without a clue. ¡°What do you mean, demon?¡±

    ¡°A true clone is a real lifeform, unlike most clone-type abilities. Since Sloth cursed Yara¡¯s main body into a deep slumber, the true clone kept living and experiencing life until they can no longer be considered the same person.¡± Vokoth explained as he tried to find a way out of this mess.

    Now understanding the situation, Ugak summoned a massive pair of metal gauntlets as he turned to Yara. ¡°So we¡¯re fighting, then. Just say so.¡±

    Vokoth still felt reluctant to fight. He¡¯d spent the last five centuries peacefully biding his time until he could return home, only for Yara¡¯s blasted true clone to gain independence. Considering her confident attitude and what he knew of her abilities, he deduced she could bridge the gap in power between them even though she was over a hundred and fifty levels below them. He didn¡¯t know how, but he had long learned to trust his instincts.

    Even then, he couldn¡¯t help but feel immense regret.

    When Yara¡¯s main body emerged victorious in the battle against Sloth during the cataclysmic battle five hundred years ago, there was no longer any point in fighting amongst each other, and so peace ensued.

    Ugak, Vokoth, and Yara divided this sealed dimension and ruled over their respective species while waiting for Yara¡¯s main body to awaken from Sloth¡¯s curse. Although there were a few wars between their species, Yara, Vokoth, and Ugak never got involved, so things never grew too serious.

    Now, after five hundred years, right on the cusp of freedom, Yara bared her fangs. Though Vokoth felt regret, he felt anger even more so. While he didn¡¯t experience any growth over these five hundred years, he didn¡¯t weaken, either.

    Vokoth adjusted his mentality and glared at Yara with a dangerous glint in his eyes. A violent and overpowering aura spread across the plains, flattening the grass from its pressure. The sky darkened ominously as the wind picked up speed.

    Although Yara appeared nonchalant in the previous exchange, she grew serious at this critical moment. Underestimating Vokoth meant death.

    After all, seven demons ruled over Vokoth¡¯s homeland. They were powerful beyond all measure, and becoming one of their generals was the greatest honor a demon could have. But only a select few out of billions were chosen.

    Vokoth was one of them.

    In these tense moments, Yara, Ugak, and Vokoth exchanged glances. Battles between people at their level could end in just a few moves. A moment of carelessness was all it took.

    At first glance, Yara was at a disadvantage. She was level 629, Ugak level 715, and Vokoth level 821. Fortunately, their skills levels were more or less the same, with most of them being over 600. One of Yara¡¯s advantages was her deep insight into karma, but it played a more supportive role. The effect it had in combat was minimal compared to other daos.

    ¡°Gah!¡± Ugak grew impatient. ¡°What are we waiting for? It¡¯s two against one ¨C just kill her.¡±

    The first action Ugak took was to activate his self-created skill. Raising his arms in triumph, thousands of transparent orcs manifested nearby and cheered in his name. ¡°Warchief! For glory and riches!¡±

    Each apparition represented a devout follower and granted stats, among other effects. Ugak¡¯s skill clearly came from his narcissism, much to Vokoth¡¯s distaste. As Ugak felt power welling up within him, he knocked his gauntlets against each other and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take the front.¡±

    Vokoth¡¯s eyes narrowed as he activated his strongest skill, Fallen Demon Transformation. Mana coursed through him as his size doubled while a set of bone armor covered his body. Spikes extended out of his elbows, shoulders, spine, wrists, and knees, turning him into a fearsome weapon. Most importantly, his left arm transformed into a long spear.

    Yara didn¡¯t remain idle during this time. When Ugak first spoke, she took a deep breath and activated a whopping twenty-three buff skills, instantly increasing her stats and gaining numerous special effects. But she didn¡¯t stop there. After buffing herself, she turned on fifteen passive skills in exchange for reserving 60% of her Mana. With both the passive skills and buffs combined, her stats easily surpassed Ugak and caught up to Vokoth.

    And yet even with all that, Yara waved her hand as several curse skills landed on Ugak and Vokoth, decreasing their attributes and confusing their senses. Finally, Yara activated one of her highest-level skills: Mana Shield.

    Under Yara¡¯s direct control, the shield separated into tens of thousands of intricately woven scales that covered her body. By doing so, the defensive ability of the shield increased many times over.

    ¡°I¡¯ll break you like a twig,¡± Ugak grunted as he strode forward with his arms spread wide, all while his phantom followers cheered.

    Frowning, Yara focused on Ugak. She noticed invisible lines connecting Ugak to his followers and knew she could sever the connection with a bit of effort, but the time wasn¡¯t right. Instead, she clapped her hands together and decided to go on the offensive.

    An intricate sphere of Mana with multiple spinning layers converged into existence fifty feet above her head. Ugak looked up and noticed the construct was drawing in Mana from its surroundings at an alarming rate. Just then, a swarm of Light Needles shot out of the sphere in every direction. Emitting a holy glow, the thin projectiles fanned out before honing in on Ugak.

    The orc quickly crossed his arms and summoned a dome-like barrier just as the barrage arrived. Although each needle appeared small, they packed enough force to skewer a level 500 Rift Boss to death in an instant. And yet when they made contact with Ugak¡¯s barrier, they bounced off and caused widespread destruction to the surrounding terrain. Dust and gravel filled the air as each Light Needle entered deep into the earth.

    When the wave of attacks ended, Ugak wanted to sneer, only to see a wave three times bigger coming his way. There was almost no pause between the first wave and the second. Soon enough, Ugak had his attention fully occupied on enduring the endless waves.

    Although the orc seemed to be at a disadvantage, he was more than willing to engage in a contest of endurance. Unfortunately for him, the sphere unleashing all these attacks was one of Yara¡¯s ultimate skills and several grades higher than Mythic. Not only was it autonomous, but it also powered itself by drawing in ambient Mana.

    When Yara pinned Ugak down, Vokoth had long since slipped into the shadows, waiting for a chance. Yara remained vigilant for a surprise attack, yet Ugak¡¯s presence grew larger and larger as time went on. Eventually, the existence of Vokoth and the threat he posed slipped her mind.

    At this point, a few Light Needles had broken through Ugak¡¯s barrier and pierced his body. Yet, the orc couldn¡¯t help but grin. His Taunt skill succeeded.

    Not a second later, Vokoth appeared in front of Yara, his spear arm breaking the sound barrier as it shot forward. At this critical moment, Yara¡¯s dull eyes flashed with clarity. As Vokoth¡¯s spear arm clashed against her Mana Barrier, she used her control of karma to sever the connection Ugak had with his followers. The instant she did, the Light Needles shattered Ugak¡¯s barrier and promptly skewered the orc to death.

    Unfortunately, Yara underestimated the piercing power behind Vokoth¡¯s attack. Her improved Mana Barrier only held on for a fraction of a second before caving inwards, allowing Vokoth¡¯s spear arm to tear into her chest from below before it came to a stop a few inches from her heart.

    ¡°Tch.¡± Vokoth clicked his tongue upon seeing Yara¡¯s Mana Barrier stick to his spear arm like glue, preventing him from pushing further. He paused only for a moment. Manipulating his transformation skill, Vokoth retracted the spear on his arm as he used his other hand to grab onto Yara¡¯s face and slam her into the ground with all his strength. What he didn¡¯t expect was for Yara to sink into the ground like a ghost, though he quickly recognized it was Earth Traversal, a convenient skill to move freely underground.

    ¡°You can¡¯t escape!¡± Vokoth growled as he lowered his stance and slammed his fist into the ground. Amazingly, the force behind his punch instantly pulverized the dirt and rock underneath him into fine particles of dust, creating a gaping crater over a hundred feet wide and forty feet deep. As gravity took hold, Vokoth found a disheveled Yara at the bottom of the crater. Her Mana Shield was on the verge of collapse as she struggled to her feet while coughing out a mouthful of blood.

    Grinning, Vokoth adjusted his posture and prepared to use Cloud Step, a movement skill to walk on air, when he suddenly felt incredible danger. Kicking out, he dashed to the side just in time to dodge a frightening beam of pure energy shot by Yara¡¯s flying construct. The beam quickly chased Vokoth as he maneuvered through the air, crystalizing the ground wherever it passed.

    Ignoring Yara, Vokoth zigzagged through the air as he closed in on the terrifying construct. His speed was too fast, and in just a few moments, he arrived before the construct and cut it in half with one swipe.

    Before the demon could celebrate, the Mana making up the construct collapsed in on itself before exploding outward. The force behind the blast sent Vokoth flying like a ragdoll as he skipped off the ground for hundreds of feet, leaving behind a small crater with every bounce.

    When Vokoth finally stopped, the prairie fell silent as the dust slowly settled.

    Moments later, Vokoth regained consciousness and found himself in a small hole. Glancing down, he grimaced upon seeing the state of his arms. When the construct self-destructed, his incredible reaction time allowed him to cross his arms just before the blast. While it saved his life, he lost the majority of both his arms as the price.

    Grunting, Vokoth pushed off the ground with what remained of his arm and stood up, then looked in the direction of Yara. What he saw caused him endless despair.

    Not fifty feet away, a mysterious female phantom towered over him, reaching over a hundred feet high, and had twelve arms with each hand making a different gesture. Even though it was in the middle of the night, the phantom lit up the world with its appearance.

    Hovering in the center of the phantom was Yara, her eyes glowing white as she slowly pushed her hand forward. In response, one of the phantom¡¯s hands suddenly slammed down on Vokoth faster than he could react. The ground sunk over twenty feet in an instant, and when the phantom raised its hand, Vokoth struggled to his feet, clearly dazed by the attack. When the demon stood and released a defiant roar, the hand slammed into him, again and again, until only a bloody pile of flesh remained.

    The battlefield turned dark as Yara¡¯s phantom dissipated. Completely out of strength, Yara collapsed as soon as she landed. Her vision grew blurry as a river of blood poured out of the wound in her stomach. Not taking a moment to rest, she gasped for air as she rolled onto her back. Opening her inventory, she withdrew a small bottle and sprayed its contents onto her stomach. The liquid concoction quickly hardened over Yara¡¯s wound, removing the bleeding debuff and allowing her natural healing to kick into effect.

    After ensuring she would live, Yara closed her eyes and released a deep sigh before reviewing the battle. Thanks to a feint, she easily killed Ugak and turned the fight into a 1v1. Her construct gave her enough time to cast her self-created skill, Judgement, allowing her to finish the battle.

    The key to her victory was the difference in the grade of skills between her and Vokoth. While a sin¡¯s general was near the peak of the world, it was still one step below her, who once ruled over one of the most powerful sects in her homeland. Her original self was equivalent to one of the demon''s seven sins, and as such, her skills were a notch above Vokoth¡¯s.

    When Yara¡¯s wounds recovered somewhat, she stood to her feet and looked into the distance. There were no longer any variables after this battle. She could only hope all her preparations over the past few hundred years would be enough.

    After all, her original self was level 984.

 Collect The World - Chapter 23

    Chapter 23

    Keith led a privileged life. Anything he wanted, his mother provided, and accompanied by his caring older sisters, Keith was always looking forward to the future. He was on a rollercoaster of optimism and happiness that only went higher and higher.

    And then Cami stabbed him in the chest, turning his entire world upside down. If it weren¡¯t because of Doven¡¯s unique skill allowing him to link his Health pool with Keith¡¯s, Keith would have died.

    Never had Keith experienced such loss and betrayal, so when he learned a demon had possessed Cami and it wasn¡¯t her who attempted to kill him, Keith felt immense relief. But it didn¡¯t last long when he remembered the tray of desserts she brought to his room that night.

    Keith could easily imagine her thought process.

    She knew he spent the whole day training, so she made some treats to show her care. It was then that the demon took advantage of her kind gesture.

    It filled Keith with immense wrath and then overwhelming sadness. Cami was only an innocent bystander. She was still young, not much older than his sisters. What about her hopes and dreams? Did the demon even care?

    After the incident, Keith spent the following days thinking about the world''s unfairness. At times, memories of Cami surfaced, filling him with grief. Other times, cruel rage consumed him. He wanted to avenge Cami and slay the demon who possessed her, but he knew it was impossible. Yara did the deed herself, leaving Keith with nowhere to vent his fury.

    So he turned it inward.

    The truth was Keith made for an easy target. If he wasn¡¯t so weak and helpless, would the demon dare to target him? Would it dare to hurt those close to him? How could it? After all, why didn¡¯t the demon target his mom or his aunt? It was because they were overwhelmingly strong.

    In this world filled with violence, Keith thought he could pass through it by relying on his mom. Perhaps he still could, but he would be at the mercy of external forces. First, it was Cami, and next, it might be his sisters. Keith couldn¡¯t bear the guilt of anyone else dying because of his own weakness. That meant he needed to grow stronger. Or at least strong enough that he wouldn¡¯t be the reason those close to him suffered.

    It was only after grieving for two weeks that Keith made a decision. Jumping out of bed, he returned to the warehouse where his orbs lay. Looking down at their reflective surface, he saw a warped image of himself staring back, seemingly asking him a question: are you prepared to go down this path?

    The seconds ticked by as Keith simply stood, but the guilt in his chest eventually steeled his resolve. Activating Mind Division and Mind Enhancement, Keith willed the orbs to move. Over the following days, he spent every moment besides eating and sleeping in the warehouse to push his skill levels higher.

    He saw steady gains in the first four days, but practicing alone without external pressure could only do so much. Still, he was satisfied with his progress.

    Mind Enhancement (Mythic) Level 25 -> 49

    Mind Division (Mythic) Level 24 -> 48

    Sensory Link (Legendary) Level 49 -> 72

    Already Keith could feel the difference. Mind Enhancement was about 15% more effective at level 49 than level 1, while the other two skills gained similar boosts. He needed to add some complexity to his training to push the skills further, which meant it was finally time to socket skills into the orbs.

    Thankfully, he had already familiarized himself with all his skill gems, so he knew what to use. Instead of filling the orbs with as many skills as possible, he began with something manageable. To start, Keith selected Mana Bolt, Mana Shield, Fireball, and Ice Wall. The skill gems he picked were the most generic and least valuable skills he had, but they served as a good foundation for him to expand on.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    [Rare] Mana Bolt

    Description: Shoot a concentrated bolt of mana at a target. Intelligence Scaling: F. Each level increases speed and damage while reducing mana cost.

    [Rare] Mana Shield

    Description: Conjure a transparent barrier around a target that absorbs a set amount of damage. Intelligence Scaling: F. 30 second cooldown. Each level increases the amount absorbed and slightly reduces the cooldown.

    [Rare] Fireball

    Description: Shoot a fireball at a target that explodes in a small radius upon contact. Intelligence Scaling: F. Each level increases damage and blast radius while reducing mana cost.

    [Rare] Ice Wall

    Description: Conjure a 2x20 foot ice barrier at a target location for 1 minute. 10 second cooldown. Each level increases its durability and reduces mana cost.

    Keith had multiple copies of each, so he socketed four orbs with the same loadout. The last thing he needed was a training partner, and he had the perfect person in mind: Annallee. She was all the more willing to help him out, so as soon as he asked, she practically dragged him back to the warehouse. Now, they stood across from each other, separated by about forty feet.

    Annallee twirled her twin shortswords as she eyed the four orbs hovering around Keith. ¡°So you just want me to dodge? No fighting back?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not ready to engage in a head-on fight with you.¡± Keith rolled his eyes. Annallee possessed the ¡°Epic Lifeform¡± title, which means she killed an epic grade monster solo. Not many her age could say the same, and Keith knew she was approaching legendary grade. She¡¯d cut Keith down in a second if she fought seriously.

    As Keith willed the orbs forward, Annallee pursed her lips and transitioned into a combat stance. The orbs moved at full speed and split into two groups to flank Annallee on each side. Suddenly, three Mana Bolts shot out, moving slower than the orbs themselves, while a fireball followed behind.

    Keith clicked his tongue as Annallee dodged each Mana Bolt and cut the fireball in half with minimum effort. Undeterred, Keith continued to cast skills, but the subsequent waves of attacks proved so simple for Annallee that she had to give him some advice. ¡°It¡¯s too easy to dodge like this. Stagger the Mana Bolts. Also, why are you shooting the fireball at me? Make it hit the ground nearby.¡±

    It was like a light lit up in Keith¡¯s head. Staggering the Mana Bolts would make it harder for Annallee to determine their trajectories, while Fireball¡¯s explosion effect would force Annallee to move.

    His thoughts came true as soon as he changed his strategy. Although the staggered Mana Bolts still proved easy for Annallee to dodge, she had to take a step back to avoid the explosion of fire. An improvement, but not enough. Still, it gave Keith an idea.

    Keith sent out two fireballs on the next wave, forcing Annallee back. To her surprise, she collided with an Ice Wall. Just as the explosion of fire overcame her, she twirled her shortswords and conjured a wind barrier to ward off the blast.

    ¡°There you go,¡± Annallee praised as she severed the Ice Wall into bits with a few swings in a show of force.

    Undeterred, Keith continued to train with Annallee. As the hours passed, he quickly improved his familiarity in using Mana Bolt, Fireball, and Ice Wall. Mana Barrier didn¡¯t see any use initially, but it didn¡¯t take long for Annallee to determine Keith was ready for a real fight. Thankfully, Void Shadowstep saved him from being completely thrashed. It only took a bit for him to learn how to dodge and control his orbs simultaneously.

    As the days passed, Keith quickly discovered a significant problem: the skills used by his orbs didn¡¯t gain skill levels. The System didn¡¯t consider the orbs living creatures. Although it sucked, it made sense. The orbs didn¡¯t consume the skills gems to use them and merely channeled their power.

    While Keith was initially disappointed, he didn¡¯t think much of it because his fighting style was absurdly powerful, even without skill levels. The more skills Keith added to his orbs, the more he forced Annallee to use more of her strength. In the end, he was firing off so many skills at once she couldn¡¯t do a thing and ended up being defeated.

    After that, she refused to train with him again, saying how unfair it was. Keith agreed. How could anyone resist under an endless bombardment of skills fuelled by infinite mana? That night, Keith looked over his gains.

    Mind Enhancement (Mythic) Level 49 -> 75

    Mind Division (Mythic) Level 48 -> 74

    Sensory Link (Legendary) Level 72 -> 95

    All three skills grew significantly, and Sensory Link was even on the verge of evolving. After overwhelming Annallee with brute force, Keith felt confident enough to face monsters. Tomorrow, he¡¯d return to the Crimson Howler Den. It was finally time to gain levels. And money. Lots of money.

 Collect The World - Chapter 24

    Chapter 24

    The burning forest of the Crimson Howler Den was hot as usual, though this time, Keith had over double the stats compared to the last time he was here. It was much more bearable. Already he could see several wolves wrestling with each other in the distance, and seeing their size left Keith¡¯s confidence wavering.

    [Rare, Elemental] Crimson Howler ¨C Level 150

    Health: 400/400

    The sound of a particular individual savoring a jawbreaker came from behind Keith. Instead of growing irritated like before, it grounded Keith¡¯s confidence. In the off chance a swarm of Crimson Howler¡¯s ripped into Keith¡¯s flesh, his Health wouldn¡¯t drop in the slightest. Uncle Doven would take all the damage, and with his stats and defensive skills, the man wouldn¡¯t feel a thing. Keith wouldn¡¯t die as long as Uncle Doven was nearby, no matter what happened.

    Keith realized this was another privilege he had, something that many budding adventurers would curse him to death for. While it would boost Keith¡¯s pride to say he didn¡¯t need Uncle Doven¡¯s protection, he wasn¡¯t trying to impress anyone. He was here to grow strong, and if he needed training wheels to start, so be it.

    Keith breathed in, then out. He repeated the process several times before locking his jaw and summoning 13 orbs, each equipped with five skills. Three orbs hovered above Keith as the rest flew over to the pack of wrestling wolves. Before they arrived, one of the orbs above his shoulder cast all five of its skills in quick succession. A sense of overwhelming power came over Keith as five buffs boosted his stats.

    [Mythic] Physique Of The Lurking Beast ¨C Level 1

    Description: Increases the target¡¯s basic stats by 25% and reduces the target¡¯s damage taken by 10%. Additionally, increase the target¡¯s natural Health and Stamina regeneration by 1,000%. Effects last 10 minutes. Each level increases the effectiveness of the skill and reduces Mana cost.

    [Mythic] Hyper Perception ¨C Level 1

    Description: The target¡¯s thoughts become instinct. Effects last 1 minute. Each level increases the effectiveness of the skill and reduces Mana cost.

    [Mythic] Undying Flesh ¨C Level 1

    Description: The target immediately heals 30% of all damage taken. Effects last 30 seconds. Each level increases the effectiveness of the skill and reduces Mana cost.

    [Mythic] Kindred of Gaia ¨C Level 1

    Description: The target¡¯s senses connect with the world. Effects last 1 minute. Each level increases the effectiveness of the skill and reduces Mana cost.

    [Mythic] Great Seer¡¯s Wisdom ¨C Level 1

    Description: The target¡¯s Intelligence stat doubles. Effects last 10 minutes. Each level increases the effectiveness of the skill and reduces Mana cost.

    The five mythic grade buffs brought such power Keith struggled to control his newfound strength, even with Hyper Perception active. Thankfully, this wasn¡¯t the first time he used all five at once, so he quickly adapted. Still, the System didn¡¯t forget to give him a warning.

    Your body is at its limit! To gain further power from external sources may cause permanent damage without raising your stats to compensate.

    Keith snickered after seeing the notification. Yet again, the System was limiting his fighting style. First, he couldn¡¯t gain skill levels, and now he has reached the buff limit. His style seemed to push against the balance the System desired, but that just reinforced Keith¡¯s opinion his build was truly powerful if even the System interfered so much.

    At this time, the wolves not engaged in wrestling noticed the orbs flying over. One of them released a low growl to alert its companions, and once the orbs came in range, several fireballs flew up to meet them. Under Keith¡¯s control, the orbs spun out of the way before casting skills of their own.

    In the center of the wolf pack, a ring of frost abruptly blossomed, expanding out in every direction. The fire-attuned grass froze and cracked whenever the ring passed, and the wolves were no exception. The spell washed over them, freezing their legs in place and covering their fur in a thick layer of snow.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    Yelping, the wolves cast Immolate, coating themselves in flames to counter the cold. In the distance, Keith snapped his fingers, prompting an orb to cast Fracture. Like glass shattering, the wolves¡¯ legs crumbled into pieces. Now completely immobile, the wolves died one after another to a spray of Mana Bolts.

    Nodding in satisfaction, Keith walked over and stored the loot in his inventory as he considered the two skills he used.

    [Epic] Cold Snap ¨C Level 1

    Description: Conjure an expanding ring of frost at a target location. Deals ice damage and inflicts freezing. Intelligence Scaling: E. 5 second cooldown. Each skill level increases the effectiveness of the skill.

    [Legendary] Fracture ¨C Level 1

    Description: Inflicts tremendous damage to targets inflicted with the Freezing status. Intelligence Scaling: C. 10 second cooldown. Each skill level increases the effectiveness of the skill.

    The two skills synergized greatly with each other, and here in this fire-attributed Rift, they would be Keith¡¯s bread and butter skills. Even at level 1 and without the ability to scale off Keith¡¯s Intelligence, they had short cooldowns. With unlimited Mana, how could the wolves resist?

    The answer was: they couldn¡¯t.

    Keith was a walking blizzard as he spammed Ring of Frost and Fracture whenever they were off cooldown. Wolf after wolf fell victim to his unethical spamming, but it wasn¡¯t long before Keith noticed a problem. He wasn¡¯t gaining any experience.

    It only took him a moment to understand the reason. The orbs were killing the wolves, not him. And because the orbs weren¡¯t living, growable objects, they couldn¡¯t obtain experience just like they couldn¡¯t level skill gems. The realization that he wouldn¡¯t be able to level with his build hit him like taking a hammer to the chest.

    Keith felt like he could hear the System laughing in his ears. He hadn¡¯t been using the orbs for long, but he already found one drawback after another. The others Keith could handle, but losing the ability to level up was too high of a cost because each level gave an attribute point Keith could put wherever he wanted and granted some Health and Mana.

    Keith could leech experience like before, but the experience he gained without contributing to the fight was minuscule. And even if he used his orbs to help, it wasn¡¯t him doing the helping in the System''s eyes.

    Utterly frustrated, Keith kicked at the ground. If only there were some way he could collect experience. The thought struck him like a lightning bolt. With widening eyes, Keith considered where experience went if nobody absorbed it. Would it just sit around and dissipate over time? If that was the case, what was stopping him from simply collecting it with his Grimoire? It was ownerless, after all.

    Thinking more and more that he was right, Keith summoned his Grimoire and sent over his thoughts. It took a moment for the Grimoire to understand Keith¡¯s idea, but once it did, the Grimoire transmitted a vague feeling that it could do what Keith asked through the connection they shared.

    Keith eyed a spot where he killed a pack of wolves. Their bodies had already dissipated, and their loot collected, but something invisible might be there. Keith ordered his Grimoire to collect the intangible existence known as experience, brimming with hope and expectation.

    The Grimoire glowed and dimmed.

    Quickly looking at his Grimoire for anything new, Keith found nothing. But he didn¡¯t give up hope yet. Maybe experience disappeared instantly, so he needed to capture it when it was released.

    Before finding another wolf pack, Keith willed his Grimoire to collect experience at all times. He felt something activate but couldn¡¯t really tell. Locking his jaw, Keith found another wolf pack to kill, putting all his hopes into this final chance. After a short moment of spamming, the wolves died, and when they did, motes of light flew into the Grimoire.

    Utterly delighted, Keith opened his Grimoire and looked to the inventory panel. At first glance, he discovered a change. There were now two tabs in the panel, labeled ¡®item¡¯ and ¡®energy.¡¯ Switching over to the energy tab, Keith didn¡¯t see rows of boxes like the item tab. Instead, he found a horizontal bar filled in with the color green. Above the box was ¡®Experience: 4,250¡¯.

    ¡°It works!¡± Keith exclaimed as he eyed the new functionality of his Grimoire. He tried withdrawing the experience and couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue in irritation. Like things in the item tab, it took money to withdraw. After a few moments, he shrugged and thought he shouldn¡¯t be too greedy. At least he could still gain levels, albeit in a roundabout way. That made him wonder if there were ways to get around the other drawbacks, but he couldn¡¯t think of anything at the moment.

    Looking back to the energy tab, Keith wondered what other types of energy there were in the world. Mana came to mind immediately. Maybe Health worked too? Thinking such, Keith willed the Grimoire to take his Mana. It could likely absorb his Health too, but he didn¡¯t want to take any risks.

    As expected, Keith saw a new bar appear, this time blue. The Grimoire sucked away all his Mana, giving him an immediate headache. Pressing against his temple with a finger, Keith wondered what uses this new way of using his Grimoire would have.

    Switching to the Grimoire¡¯s shop, Keith¡¯s expression brightened when he saw two new additions.

    Monster Egg Synthesis ¨C 50 million CP

    Description: Spend Mana to fuse two monster eggs into one. Success rate varies depending on synergy. Mana consumption varies. No cooldown.

    Mana Battery ¨C 500 million CP

    Description: Mana stored within the Grimoire can be freely transferred to the user.

    Monster Egg Synthesis would bring in a lot of money, but what really drew Keith''s attention was Mana Battery. If he had that, wouldn¡¯t that completely resolve all the drawbacks of his fighting style? With Mana Battery, he could learn the skills himself to level them up and have them scale off his stats.

    The idea excited him immensely, though he soon discovered a problem. The orbs allowed Keith to attack from multiple angles and greatly extend the area he could influence. Removing them took away those advantages. On second thought, maybe Zeidrick could solve this problem. After all, he was able to teleport Mana from the Mana Reactor to the orbs.

    However, Keith figured he was getting ahead of himself. While he was relieved to see both Mana and Experience gave CV, Mana Battery cost a whopping 500 million CP, far more than any other function in the shop. It was something he would get in the distant future.

    After calming down, Keith decided to take it one step at a time. To start, why not rack up some experience and loot from the wolf packs?

 Collect The World - Chapter 25

    Chapter 25

    If looking down from the sky, you could trace the path Keith made as he ventured further into the eternally burning forest of the Crimson Howler Den from the trail of ice and snow he left in his wake. It seemed even this fire-attributed Rift couldn¡¯t handle his constant spamming of water-attributed skills.

    As Keith fought his way deeper in with Uncle Doven at his back, he grew more familiar with using his orbs as time passed. Now that there were trees in the way, he needed to maneuver around them as he battled. Really, all he needed to do was observe the wolves. They used the trees as cover to obscure their position and avoid Keith¡¯s skills. Some even leaped across the branches to attack from above. It seemed strange to learn from monsters, though Keith figured that was the nature of combat.

    And to prove his actions, his skills rapidly shot up in levels.

    Mind Enhancement (Mythic) Level 75 -> 99

    Mind Division (Mythic) Level 74 -> 97

    Sensory Link (Legendary) Level 95 -> 105

    Keith received an evolution point when Sensory Link hit level 100. From the list of upgrade options, he easily picked ¡®Far-reaching.¡¯ The upgrade reduced the rate at which the skill consumed Mana based on the distance of the linked object from Keith. As it stood, Keith¡¯s Sensory Link skill consumed all his Mana before he could tell how far his orbs could be from him while still connected to the Mana Reactor. Keith¡¯s effective range with the orbs increased from 100 feet to 200 feet with the upgrade. Even then, the orb¡¯s connection to the Mana Reactor remained strong.

    Not even two hours after Sensory Link evolved, Mind Division and Mind Enhancement reached level 100, each gaining an evolution point as well. Compared to a Legendary grade skill¡¯s evolution options, a Mythic grade¡¯s options were more potent even if they were the same. The downside was Mythic grade skills took longer to level.

    This time, Keith took much longer to decide how to evolve the skills. As he was still introducing himself to his fighting style, he wasn¡¯t entirely clear on how to proceed. Evolving a skill could make its strengths stronger or shore up a weakness. There was no right answer.

    Evolving skills was a permanent decision, so Keith thought long and hard. Thankfully, going to school gave Keith a solid foundation. There were entire classes dedicated to combat theory, what students should expect as they grew stronger, and building a skillset.

    Currently, Keith didn¡¯t have any problems controlling the orbs while fighting, but two reasons could explain that. One, monsters at his level didn¡¯t have high intelligence, so their tactics primarily involved head-on confrontation. Two, Keith limited himself to using a few skills. It was fine now, but high-level Rifts had various monsters with different roles and skills, all working in tandem.

    In the end, Keith thought to plan for the future, so even though he didn¡¯t need it now, he enhanced Mind Enhancement¡¯s cognitive boost. As for Mind Division, he reduced the drop in cognitive ability per division.

    The effects were immediate.

    A quick test allowed Keith to confirm he could now control 20 orbs at once. Unfortunately, now that his skills passed level 100, their growth rate dropped drastically. It took Keith a few weeks to reach level 100, and hitting level 200 would take even longer. Only hard and steady work could progress them now.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    As time passed, Keith intentionally avoided the forest''s center as he fought. The Rift Boss was there, and Keith was still working up his nerve to confront it. For now, he casually slaughtered packs of wolves, netting plenty of experience, gold, and materials.

    Since Keith was only a few levels higher than the monsters he killed, there was no experience reduction. He¡¯d already gained several levels worth of experience due to how fast he killed with the orbs. Only, it would cost him around 5,000 gold to withdraw the experience from the Grimoire. While it wasn¡¯t much now, Keith was only level 159 out of 500. How much would it take once he reached higher levels?

    Keith wondered why his innate gift was so greedy. As it was a reflection of himself, did that mean he secretly loved money? That couldn¡¯t be right. Some people based their entire ego around their wealth, and Keith knew that wasn¡¯t a trait he possessed. Money was simply a medium of exchange.

    Ah, Keith thought, that was it. Even as miraculous as the Grimoire was, it needed fuel to perform its functions. Instead of Mana, it was gold. Keith thought it made sense. The Grimoire revolved around items and drew power from them. But to transfer experience from it to Keith wasn¡¯t a costless action. Keith had a feeling the Grimoire would require gold for other functions as well, and that sucked. Now, not only did he need to spend money to power himself up, he needed to spend money to make use of that power.

    ¡°I need a gold mine,¡± Keith muttered to himself.

    With a shake of his head, he turned his attention to the items the wolves dropped. A few hours of hunting gave him around 300 gold. More important than the gold were the materials. The wolves dropped fangs, hide, and claws. A craftsman could turn them into weapons or armor, so they were pretty easy to sell. Keith estimated his current stock would sell for 500 gold or so.

    Basically, in three hours of hunting, Keith made 800 gold. Not much, but not inconsequential either. These were low-level monsters in the grand scheme of things. The stronger Keith grew, the faster he¡¯d make money.

    Thinking that, Keith abruptly turned and made his way to the Rift Boss. After killing a few wolf packs in the way, he arrived before a small hill. On top sat a slab of rock where a giant wolf lay. The same Rift Boss that almost killed Zachery. Well, it was up for debate whether it was the same Rift Boss or a clone. Nobody knew the answer.

    As Keith looked up at the Rift Boss from behind the cover of a tree, the scene of Zachery dying flashed past his eyes. Shuddering, Keith looked back at Uncle Doven, who was staring at the sky for whatever reason. Knowing that his Uncle had his back, Keith took a deep breath and decided to try one of his strongest skills to be safe.

    Sensing movement, the Enkindled Wolf King lifted its head and stared warily at a lone orb that flew above it. Suddenly, blue-purplish bolts of lightning crashed down from the sky. The wind picked up in an instant as a raging storm of blue-purple bolts covered the world, spinning around with reckless abandon. Each one that happened to pass through the Rift Boss pierced straight through its body, dealing significant damage. Unfortunately for the Enkindled Wolf King, there were hundreds of them. It couldn¡¯t avoid all the bolts, no matter how it dodged.

    From behind the tree, Keith saw a wall of blue and purple. The bolts flew so fast he couldn¡¯t perceive them. All Keith heard was the howling of the wind and the painful cries of the Rift Boss. Thankfully, he stood some distance away, so only the wind affected him.

    After ten seconds, the skill faded. What remained was a small hill filled with numerous tunnels, which collapsed in the next moment. Even the burning trees in the periphery of the skill fell over. As for the Enkindled Wolf King, it died in the first second.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Keith exclaimed in pure amazement. With wide eyes, he cautiously walked up to the loot the Rift Boss dropped as he recalled the skill that was so powerful at level 1 and without Intelligence scaling.

    [Mythic] Arcane Tempest ¨C Level 1

    Description: Unleash a storm of condensed mana bolts in a large area. Ignores 30% of the target¡¯s defense. Intelligence scaling: A. 10 minute cooldown. Each level increases the effectiveness of the skill.

    It was simply impossible for a person at Keith¡¯s level to cast such a high-grade skill themselves. The Mana cost was too high. However, there were always exceptions. From the System¡¯s perspective, it was okay allowing Keith to harness the power of a skill only 400+ adventurers could use since he couldn¡¯t level it up or gain experience normally, in addition to needing a Mana Reactor. Only after all these limitations was balance achieved.

 Collect The World - Chapter 26

    Chapter 26

    After Keith returned home from a day full of fighting, he took a shower. Even though he used the Cleanliness Ring to remove dirt and blood from his body, the Crimson Howler Den was like being in a sauna, and he still felt stuffy. A cold shower was just what he needed to unwind.

    Underneath the downpour of glacial water, Keith''s mind sharpened. The loot, skill levels, and experience he gained today were satisfying. But one thing was obvious: the wolves were not his match. Even if he limited himself to less powerful skills, he was unstoppable with the Mana Reactor. And skills like Arcane Tempest? He had quite a few skills like that, some being more powerful.

    Fighting monsters around Keith¡¯s level would be a waste of time, so a question constantly reared its head: what level was too risky to fight? Level 200? Level 250? Level 300? Keith wanted to spend his time efficiently, but he didn¡¯t want to fight monsters he couldn¡¯t react to. He wanted monsters that could put up a challenge but weren¡¯t strong enough to overwhelm him.

    However, it was hard to gauge Keith¡¯s combat strength by looking at his stats, level, and equipment. With the orbs and Mana Reactor at his disposal, there was no reference he could draw from to gauge his strength. After all, Arcane Tempest was a skill typically used by people above level 400 due to its Mana cost, but Keith was using it while under level 200.

    Keith finished showering and returned to his room with his mind clear on what to do. After putting on some pajamas, his eyes wandered over to a particular spot on the floor¡ªthe place where Cami died. The scene of her brutal death was still fresh in Keith¡¯s mind, and he couldn¡¯t help but tear up.

    Climbing into bed, Keith drew even breaths. Once he calmed down, he pulled out his magic tablet and began browsing the mercenary guild¡¯s page for information on Rifts until he fell asleep.

    In the morning, Keith finished selecting a few Rifts to visit. After informing his mom, Keith had Uncle Doven teleport them to a Rift a few regions away from Adira. Thankfully, it seemed Uncle Doven had explored most of the world, so he was the best taxi Keith could ask for.

    The first Rift Keith visited was called Living Plataue, a level 200 Rift. Upon passing through the dome barrier, Keith saw people fighting golems in the distance. The golems were composed of six pieces of rock, connected by thick tendrils of Mana. Their head was round, body thick, and their limbs long. Although they took a humanoid shape, they possessed no mouth, eyes, or nose.

    As Keith watched the adventurers fight, it was clear these golems possessed incredible strength. Any attack they made sent cracks along the ground, and the ground here was tougher than usual.

    Keith made sure to give any adventurers he passed a wide berth as he explored the Rift. He didn¡¯t want them to think he was there to cause trouble. After a few minutes of searching, he found some golems that weren¡¯t in any other adventurer¡¯s farming zone.

    [Epic, Elemental] Rock Golem ¨C Level 200

    Health: 1,000/1,000

    Compared to the Enkindled Wolf King, a level 150 Rift Boss, these golems possessed much more Health. They excelled in defending against physical attacks and used their monstrous Strength stat to power several skills like Fissure, Earthquake, and Ground Slam. Their weakness was their speed and vulnerability to magic. Of course, Keith learned all of this from the mercenary guild¡¯s information packet.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    As Keith watched the golems lumbering around some hundred feet away, he summoned an orb and let it approach at full speed. Squinting, Keith cast Wind Lord¡¯s Scythe.

    The wind froze as a phantom green scythe cut through the air in a horizontal swing. The four golems in the area shuddered as their upper bodies fell over, their legs following soon after. It was another one-hit kill. 1,000 Health gone, just like that.

    Keith clicked his tongue in wonder.

    Wind Lord¡¯s Scythe was another skill used by people above level 400, but it had a cooldown of 10 seconds, unlike Arcane Tempest. It was a skill Keith could spam if he could afford the Mana cost.

    Obviously, Keith could fight higher-level monsters, so he had Uncle Doven teleport them to a level 250 Rift. Like Living Plateau, Keith picked this one because the monsters it spawned were on the slower side. Rare monsters around level 250 had around 2,000 Health, and their high Health required Keith to use multiple skills to kill them. The drawbacks of his build were beginning to show, but he could still push it further.

    With Uncle Doven at his back, Keith cautiously entered a level 300 Rift called Ant Hill. As its name suggests, this Rift was filled with ants the size of humans. And as with monsters around this level, they started to possess different skillsets. The ants in this rift had three specializations: warrior ants, flying ants, and poison ants.

    When Keith entered the Rift, he arrived in a grass plain with giant hills. Each hill had hundreds of holes leading inward, with ants constantly entering and exiting them. Parties of adventurers were fighting at the base of these hills.

    Keith observed the closest party and noticed one adventurer constantly splitting from the group to drag more ants over. At another hill was a party with an unconventional strategy. An earth mage had summoned a tall platform for the rest of his party, all archers, to safely attack from the sky. The only problem was the flying ants, but each time one appeared, the archers all focused on killing it as quickly as possible.

    Making his way through the Rift, Keith spent a considerable amount of time observing the different strategies these high-level adventurers used to fight. It was an eye-opening experience. Thinking about Uncle Doven¡¯s strength, Keith turned to the man and asked, ¡°Would you be able to flatten these hills with a single punch?¡±

    Uncle Doven¡¯s gaze wandered over to the nearby hill as he raised his fist. Keith yelped and quickly held Doven¡¯s arm back. ¡°Wait, don¡¯t ACTUALLY do it! I was just wondering if you could.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Uncle Doven slowly lowered his arm, but Keith could see a hint of disappointment in his expression.

    Sighing, Keith resumed exploring, and to his surprise, he found that each hill was occupied. The Rift was unexpectedly packed with adventurer parties, though a quick search on his magic tablet explained why. Ant Hill was the most popular level 300 Rift in the Human Domain due to the excessive number of monsters, and the high rate of gold dropped.

    Due to its popularity, this Rift was managed by the mercenary guild itself. All 30 ant hills had a schedule that adventurers needed to abide by. Basically, if Keith wanted to grind here, he needed to find an ant hill with an open timeslot and reserve it through the mercenary guild¡¯s page. The problem was people had already reserved the timeslots for several months out.

    By that time, Keith would already be with his Dad and Grandma, and who knows what they wanted him to do. Would they require him to undergo training like his Mom and Aunt? If that was the case, he needed to be as prepared as possible, and this Ant Hill Rift was instrumental to his plan. Keith''s power would skyrocket with the experience and gold this place provided.

    Keith thought of two options.

    First, he could try and join one of these adventurer parties. The only downside was, well, everything. Keith wouldn¡¯t be able to collect experience earned by other people, and all his skills that posed a threat to these monsters caused widespread damage. Another drawback of having the orbs was Keith didn¡¯t have any control over the skills. If he did, he could manipulate the size and orientation of Wind Lord¡¯s Scythe, for example. As it stood, Keith would probably harm his teammates.

    Honestly, the parties would hold Keith back. With his mass spamming of level 400+ skills, he could occupy an entire ant hill himself. No, what Keith needed to do was rely on his family¡¯s influence, and to Keith, that was second nature.

 Collect The World - Chapter 27

    Chapter 27

    It only took Keith¡¯s mom a couple of hours to squeeze him in. He didn¡¯t know what she did, but it sure was effective. All the ant hills had a designated number, and ant hill 25 was now reserved under Keith¡¯s name for two weeks.

    After receiving word of the change, Keith followed the mercenary guild¡¯s map to arrive before his area. The previous group had already left, though some blood and junk items still scattered the area. They¡¯d dissipate soon enough.

    Keith looked over to the nearest ant hills and found plenty of space between them, though adventurers around level 300 could make out the details even at this distance. It was probably inevitable he¡¯d attract attention. Thankfully, he still had the Warding Ring his mom gave him, which blocked all inspection-type skills below level 400. If anyone caused any trouble, Uncle Doven would set them straight.

    Keith focused back on the hill in front of him. Now that he was close, the size of the hill was staggering, reaching almost a thousand feet high. The dirt was dark brown and compact. With the countless tunnels spread within, it was no doubt magically enhanced. Most Rifts reinforced the environment, so it was nothing unusual. Otherwise, high-level adventurers would cause widespread destruction.

    The ants that made this hill their home constantly skittered in and out of the various tunnels, moving at speeds that made Keith question whether he could react in time. His stats were just too far below these monsters. Not only that, with their size matching bears, their mandibles became much more deadly. Keith would no doubt get chopped in half with his mediocre equipment.

    The only reason why Keith held some confidence in facing these giant bugs was his five mythic grade buffs. The boost from Kindred of Gaia combined with Hyper Perception was no joke. They were practically tailor-made for movement skills, which Keith excelled at.

    After an orb buffed Keith, he took a few moments to adjust like usual. Now, with a single glance, he was able to capture the ant¡¯s movements accurately. Whether his body could keep up, however, was another question entirely.

    To start, Keith had an orb pull a few ants at the base of the hill with Mana Bolt. Unfortunately, it couldn¡¯t break through the ant¡¯s natural defenses and dealt zero damage. That was definitely the biggest drawback of Keith¡¯s fighting style: his skills would forever remain at level 1. To even kill these ants, he¡¯d need to rely on his most powerful skills. But how effective would those be once Keith fought level 400+ monsters? Would they be as useless as Mana Bolt was now?

    As Keith''s thoughts turned negative, the ants he attacked quickly made their way over, grabbing his attention just in time to see a ball of acid flying his way. Keith dodged with a swift side-step but didn¡¯t create enough distance to avoid the acid once it splashed off the ground. A few drops landed on his armor, significantly reducing its durability.

    The dangerous sizzling sound coming from his legs made him worry, though he reminded himself he¡¯d be fine since he didn¡¯t feel any pain. His armor would hold as long as he completely avoided the following acid.

    One of the three ants Keith attacked was a poison ant, recognizable by its green stripes. It stayed in the back to support the two warrior ants charging straight towards Keith.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Subconsciously holding his breath, Keith waved his hand as his orbs spread out. He activated several skills at once. First came Cold Snap, creating a layer of ice below the ant warriors. They must have possessed some elemental resistance because not a bit of snow or ice appeared on their bodies. But that was okay. Keith expected as much.

    Keith dodged another spray of acid as Wind Lord¡¯s Scythe activated, slicing horizontally across the warrior ants. One of the ants tried to jump but slipped on the ice created from Cold Snap, allowing the scythe to leave a deep gash across its carapace. The other ant was much wiser and instead dropped to the ground, dodging the scythe entirely.

    For a second, Keith froze, unable to believe the powerful skill that one shot the golems just a few hours earlier was now ineffective. As another bile of acid flew his way, Keith grew irritated. ¡°Fine then, no more nice guy.¡±

    Instead of playing things smart as if mana was a limiting factor, Keith promptly activated all of his low cooldown offensive mythic grade skills. Chain Lightning, Holy Flame Lance, Earthen Spire, Yggdrasil¡¯s Grasp, Small Meteor, Death¡¯s Touch, Infernal Blast, and Wraith¡¯s Cry.

    In the following moments, all Keith saw was a blinding flash of colors as the ground trembled ominously while numerous shockwaves pushed him around. When the wind and shaking finally died down, Keith opened his eyes and saw a smoking crater filled with remnant energies.

    The ants were gone.

    Before Keith could fully process what had just happened, the noise attracted the attention of more ants. Over one hundred of them. Keith¡¯s first reaction was to flee. But then he looked around at his orbs, then back at the giant crater in front of him.

    In that brief moment of inaction, Chain Lightning, Holy Flame Lance, Earthen Spire, and Death¡¯s Touch came off cooldown. When the ants finally reached the base of the hill and charged over, Yggdrasil¡¯s Grasp and Infernal Blast¡¯s cooldown ended. Small Meteor and Wraith¡¯s Cry were only halfway through their cooldown, but that was fine. It was enough.

    Grinning wickedly, Keith utilized his prowess with Void Shadowstep to avoid all the ranged attacks sent his way. When the ants finally drew close enough, he swiped his hand sideways. It was a meaningless action, but it just felt natural.

    This time, Keith tried his best to keep his eyes open. And what he saw was terrifying. Holy Flame Lance arrived first. The condensed lance made of pure energies pierced through the entire army of ants before embedding itself halfway into the ant hill. Next, Yggdrasil¡¯s Grasp and Earthen Spire erupted from the ground. Unfortunately, they competed over the same space and thus fought against each other, reducing their effectiveness.

    Keith made a note of this.

    After building up its energies, Death¡¯s Touch activated next. It happened so fast that Keith could only see a blur before the skill shot into a lone ant, instantly vaporizing half of its body. Soon after, the slow-moving Infernal Blast exploded in the middle of the ant horde, sending ants flying in every direction. Sickly green flames stuck to their bodies like glue as it melted their carapace. During all this destruction, Chain Lightning continued to chain from one ant to the next, and it only disappeared after covering half the horde.

    Less than a third of the horde survived the barrage of attacks. Most were wounded, but that didn¡¯t deter them from assailing Keith. But by this time, Wraith¡¯s Cry activated. A ripple spread from an orb above Keith in a forward arc as a silent scream knocked all the ants back. They staggered helplessly as their minds rumbled from the invisible attack. By the time they recovered, the sky had grown dark.

    A small meteor screaming with divine fury crashed into the middle of the surviving ants, releasing a shockwave that nearly knocked Keith off his feet. When the cloud of dust cleared, only charred corpses in the middle of dissipating remained. And yet, just like before, another horde of ants were making their way over.

    Ignoring them, Keith looked down at all the loot on the ground. Then he checked his Grimoire to see how much experience he had acquired so far. Finally, he looked back at the furious ant horde rushing at him and began to laugh.

 Collect The World - Chapter 28

    Late at night, Keith laid in bed with a smug expression and felt a tingling surge of satisfaction shoot up his spine as he looked at his status.

    [Keith Walker]

    Level: 300

    Age: 18

    Titles: Philantropist, Born With A Golden Spoon, Troublemaker, +10 others

    Health: 4,100/4,100

    Mana: 5,500/5,500

    Strength: 245

    Agility: 274

    Intelligence: 302

    Vitality: 233

    Endurance: 239

    Skills: Sensory Link, Mind Enhancement, +28 others

    He did it.

    In two weeks, he went from Level 159 to 300. It was pretty much impossible for anyone else to replicate such an absurd leveling speed for simply one reason: people needed rest. Even if you had some method to heal your Health, Mana took time to regenerate, and there was bound to be some downtime no matter how skilled you were.

    There were three key factors why Keith accomplished what he did. First, the Mana Reactor. Without it supplying mana, there was no way Keith could¡¯ve killed as many ants as he did. Second, the orbs. Very few, if any, craftsmen besides Zeidrick could produce such an unconventional weapon, as they simply didn¡¯t have the means to subvert the System¡¯s rules. Finally, even if someone else had the Mana Reactor and orbs, they needed a way to collect the experience monsters dropped. That was where Keith¡¯s Grimoire came in. Without it, none of this would¡¯ve been possible.

    While Keith didn¡¯t consider the more profound implications, the reality was his Grimoire provided many incredible abilities. Of all the innate gifts in the world, the most powerful were generally the ones that could subvert, change, ignore, or manipulate the System¡¯s rules. Keith¡¯s Grimoire already had a few functions with this ability, and who knew what he¡¯d unlock in the future?

    At the moment, all Keith cared about was how broke he was. He thought that since the Ant Hill Rift was famous for making money, killing ants for two weeks straight would¡¯ve been more than enough to cover the cost of withdrawing experience from his Grimoire. Nope. The reality was Keith needed to sell all his loot to reach Level 300, leaving him just as poor as when he started. Getting a sweet set of equipment befitting his new status was still a few million gold away. Sad times.

    On another note, Keith made some gains on his skills.

    Mind Enhancement (Mythic) Level 131

    Mind Division (Mythic) Level 130This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    Sensory Link (Legendary) Level 143

    Void Shadowstep (Legacy) Level 252

    It was clear reaching level 100 drastically slowed further progress. Even after two weeks of non-stop fighting, Keith''s skills to control the orbs only grew around 30 levels. As for Void Shadowstep, Keith was pleasantly surprised to find it gained 10 levels. Fighting against monsters where the threat was real proved much more effective than sparing with his Aunt. The flying ants turned out to be quite annoying.

    Besides the experience and skills levels, Keith gained something even more important. Confidence. Having a horde of giant ants charge at him for two weeks did much to steel his nerves, though the constant shockwaves and explosions from Meteor helped in that regard as well.

    To be honest, Keith was still a little leery of close combat. Not out of fear but because of friendly fire. Most of Keith¡¯s killer skills dealt massive area damage. He couldn¡¯t just cast Meteor on himself to deal with any close assailants, as that would just get him killed. In close combat, he¡¯d need to rely on Holy Flame Lance and Death¡¯s Touch. Oh, Wrath¡¯s Cry too. A little lacking, to be honest.

    Keith eventually drifted off to dreamland, where an ant queen in a wedding gown chased after him. He fled as fast as possible, but he kept running in place for some reason. Eventually, the ant queen caught up and dragged Keith over to her parents. The feeble old ants wept tears of joy as their antenna tapped Keith¡¯s forehead. The rest of the dream was just as strange.

    In the morning, Keith¡¯s eyes slowly opened. In a semi-awakened state, he recalled the dream he had just had the pleasure of experiencing. I think I need to take a break fighting ants, he thought with a grimace. A few minutes later, he jumped out of bed, got dressed, and made his way down to the dining room.

    Arriving at the table, he found a freshly made 24 oz protein shake waiting for him, and the sight of it made him gag. Since Cami passed away, Uncle Ridger took it upon himself to cook for the family. While clueless when it came to food, the muscle-bound man was exceptionally proficient in concocting all sorts of shakes. They were packed full of vitamins, energy, protein, and all sorts of nutrients. But why does it taste so bad, Keith groaned.

    As Keith struggled to drink his shake, Annallee entered the dining room and practically drooled when she saw a protein shake of her own waiting at her spot. Smiling, she grabbed the bottle, placed a hand on her hip, and then promptly downed the drink in one go.

    ¡°Ah, that hit the spot,¡± she sighed in relief while wiping her lips.

    Keith gave a nod of respect to this bold warrior. Annallee laughed. ¡°It¡¯s easier to chug it, you know? Taking small sips like that only prolongs the torture.¡±

    Hearing the advice, Keith looked down at his shake and thought it made sense. A few moments later, he placed the empty bottle on the table and gave his sister a strange look. ¡°So it¡¯s true you get wiser the more you age.¡±

    ¡°You punk!¡± Annallee ground her teeth. ¡°I dare you to say that again.¡±

    Just then, Elora, still groggy, walked into the room and saw the protein shake waiting for her. She stared at the drink for a good second before entering the kitchen to no doubt fix something for herself.

    Annallee changed her tone and asked, ¡°The bodybuilding tournament is in a few days. Are you still coming?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I have to support my dear sister,¡± Keith affirmed. Though I¡¯ll probably regret it, he mused. Honestly, Keith half-expected to leave the tournament traumatized. He imagined the gathering would be a bunch of Ridger look-a-likes with well-groomed beards and steel muscles showing off their bodies for the ultimate glory of whoever looked the coolest.

    Thinking of such scenes, Keith looked at his sister with some hope and cleared his throat. ¡°Um, how many girls will be there?¡±

    ¡°Heh, heh.¡± Annallee folded her arms with a teasing expression. ¡°What? Is that the real reason why you¡¯re going? So you can ogle at some women?¡±

    Keith quickly responded, ¡°Of course not!¡±

    Annallee snorted and wondered where her cute little brother went. Glancing at Keith with a teasing glint in her eye, she admitted, ¡°Yes, there¡¯ll be plenty of women. I heard from Ridger that female orcs are especially fond of these competitions.¡±

    ¡°Orcs?¡± Keith blanched.

    Annallee snickered after seeing Keith¡¯s reaction, and he knew he slipped up. A moment later, he stood up and righteously declared. ¡°I¡¯m going to support my sister. Don¡¯t speak nonsense.¡±

    Annallee rolled her eyes and left to go work out. Elora exited the kitchen a second later, holding a bowl of cereal and some fruits. After setting them down on the table, she approached Keith and gave him a couple of pats on the shoulder with an expression of pity.

    Keith sighed in defeat.

 Collect The World - Chapter 29

    Chapter 29

    Not long ago, Zeidrick had somehow acquired Keith¡¯s contact information and had been nagging him for feedback on the orbs. Zeidrick¡¯s request wasn¡¯t too strenuous, so Keith spent the few days before the bodybuilding competition relaxing at home and working on the report.

    Keith began writing out a simple pros and cons list, but the part of him obsessed with organization loathed such a rudimentary method. No, he needed to write a multiple-page essay on the orb¡¯s strengths and weaknesses, so what initially began as a simple task turned into a two-day project.

    By the end, Keith was proud of his work. While he had a vested interest to give Zeidrick accurate feedback so the craftsman could make improvements on what was ultimately an experimental tool, Keith enjoyed the process of laying out information in a clear and detailed manner. Honestly, if Keith could sell the settings of his inventory, he was confident plenty of people would buy it. Anything he stored in his inventory or Grimoire was automatically sorted based on numerous parameters optimized over a decade. In Keith¡¯s eyes, it was perfect.

    Reviewing the report, Keith was surprised by how harsh he was. He considered changing his tone but ultimately decided it was better to be honest so that Zeidrick could address the orb¡¯s faults.

    After glancing over his work several times, he read the final paragraph one last time, ¡®To summarize, the orbs are a pinnacle weapon against those up to level 300. Beyond that, they become increasingly useless. Ignoring the inability to level or control skills, the orbs themselves will eventually become limited by their speed and defensive ability. A powerhouse over level 400 would simply destroy them in a single blow.¡±

    The final paragraph summarized Keith¡¯s findings and highlighted his limit. Using the orbs in their current state would maybe push Keith to level 350 if he put in the time and effort, but anything beyond that was likely impossible. Even if the orbs could level skills, their base specs couldn¡¯t keep up.

    Though the report was largely negative, Keith was optimistic. It was easy to forget because they were so powerful ¨C but the orbs were merely in their first iteration, and who knew what they would become in the future.

    Nodding to himself, Keith sent the report over to Zeidrick through his magic tablet. The competition would begin in a few hours, and Annallee wanted to leave early, so Keith stood up and stretched before moving to his wardrobe to pick out one of his more normal outfits. He didn¡¯t want to stand out during this event.

    After getting dressed and doing his hair, Keith found Annallee, Uncle Ridger, and Uncle Doven waiting in the entry room. Annallee turned and said, ¡°Great, let¡¯s go.¡±

    As they walked to the teleportation array in the courtyard, Keith glanced over at his sister. "Feeling anxious?"

    "A little.¡±

    Uncle Ridger caressed his beard. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. Although it¡¯s a competition, it''s also a social event.¡± The man glanced at Keith as he operated the teleportation array. ¡°Don¡¯t cause any trouble. Plenty of level 400+ powerhouses are participating, and I heard a special person is coming this time.¡±

    Keith rolled his eyes as they teleported to a nearby city and made their way to a giant dome building a few blocks away from the nearest teleportation array. As human society accepted all races, orcs, elves, and dwarves were a common sight. Only demons were rare to see, as there was a lot of bad blood due to the last great war.

    Due to the bodybuilding competition, numerous vendors set up stalls leading up to the venue. All the stalls set up by dwarves sold weapons, armor, and baubles, while the elves sold fruit, vegetables, staves, shortswords, and bows. Keith¡¯s party browsed through the wares as they passed, with Keith buying a few mini peaches that he popped into his mouth. Elves had long since perfected their farming ¨C you needn¡¯t worry about seeds when eating their food.

    Eventually, the party arrived before the dome, where two massive illusions stood on each side of the entrance. One depicted an orc and the other a human. The two illusions faced each other and remained frozen in the pose of clasping each other¡¯s hands. By this point, Keith began feeling a little small. The people entering the dome alongside him were at least two to five times as big as he was, and he felt like a baby compared to them.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    The dome was basically one big room, and when they entered, a female orc twice the size of Keith walked up to their party and handed them a brochure. As she did, she gave Uncle Ridger and Uncle Doven a nod before moving on to the next guest.

    Keith glanced down at the pamphlet and saw a schedule for today¡¯s events on the front page. He noted the competition wouldn¡¯t begin until 4 pm, so there was still a good half of the day to go. The inside of the paper was a bird¡¯s eye view of the dome showing all the activities and minigames.

    At this time, Uncle Ridger spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m going to meet some old friends. You guys do what you want.¡±

    Uncle Ridger quickly disappeared into the crowd as Keith turned to look at Annallee. ¡°Do you want to play some games?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Annallee nodded as she used the map on the brochure to lead them to another section of the dome. Five minutes later, they stood in line for one particular game. A crowd of people watched and cheered as a male orc picked up a large metal hammer. The orc grunted, heaved the hammer over his head, then slammed it down on a slab of metal in front of him.

    An array flashed underneath the slab as it absorbed the force behind the blow. At the same time, a constantly changing number manifested above the slab before settling at 430.

    ¡°Not bad, lad! You¡¯ve won four stamps!¡± A burly man overseeing the game handed the disappointed orc his reward.

    There were around ten people in front of Keith and Annallee, who scored between 300 and 800. Keith couldn¡¯t tell what their Strength stat was, so he didn¡¯t know how he¡¯d compare. As the game was quick, it didn¡¯t take long until it was Annallee¡¯s turn. When she walked up, Keith encouraged her in a loud voice, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sis. You can do this. Remember to bend your knees!¡±

    Annallee acted as if she didn¡¯t hear anything and instead tested the hammer''s weight. Keith obnoxiously clapped and cheered when she widened her stance, hefted the hammer behind her, and swung overhead in a long arc.

    While lacking knowledge about posture and the utilization of muscles, Keith could still tell his sister¡¯s technique was far beyond the previous people. Starting from her feet, she channeled strength up her legs and into her waist as the hammer reached its peak, and then she twisted and smashed downward with her upper body as the hammer fell, assisted by gravity.

    There was an audible smack when the hammer collided with the slab, and it even rebounded upwards before landing again. A number popped up above Annallee¡¯s head: 898.

    ¡°Oh, so close to 900!¡± The referee exclaimed. ¡°Here¡¯s eight stamps, young lady.¡±

    When Annallee walked over to the side, she gave Keith a smug look. Crap, Keith thought, I should have gone first.

    Strutting forward with bravado, Keith picked up the hammer and immediately grimaced, finding it much heavier than expected. Flexing his muscles, Keith awkwardly lifted the hammer and got into a stance. He mimicked his sister''s technique and slammed the blunt weapon onto the slab. The thing nearly fell out of his hands from the recoil, but thankfully he held on.

    Looking up, Keith clicked his tongue when he saw his score: 638.

    Honestly, the result was disappointing. Ever since Keith acquired his Grimoire, his power had skyrocketed several times. Together with the orbs, it made him feel invincible. Even then, Annallee surpassed him in Strength.

    Keith took his six stamps and approached Annallee with a frown. ¡°What¡¯s your Strength at?¡±

    ¡°Over 500,¡± Annallee answered with pride. ¡°It¡¯s been shooting up ever since I started training under Uncle Ridger.¡±

    Keith was amazed and briefly considered joining her routine, then thought better of it. Working out wasn¡¯t for him.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go to a different game,¡± Annallee said as she looked around for a nearby activity. Just then, a blast of wind shoved Keith forward as the ground shuddered with a resounding crack. Startled, he spun around and widened his eyes when he saw the slab, now shattered into pieces. The crowd who¡¯d been watching the fun fell silent as they stared at the young girl responsible in amazement.

    Seemingly around Keith¡¯s age, the woman had a slender frame with short orange hair, with one side braided into a pattern. She wore a simple t-shirt and shorts but surprisingly didn¡¯t wear any shoes. Frowning, she turned to the referee and apologized. ¡°Sorry, I broke it.¡±

    The referee returned to his senses and forced a smile. ¡°No worries, young lady, we have backups. Your score seems to be 4,235, so here are 42 stamps.¡±

    The girl accepted her reward before making her way to her next destination. When she disappeared into the crowd, Keith turned to his sister and noticed she was similarly shocked. Keith couldn¡¯t help but ask in a low whisper, ¡°What do you think her Strength was?¡±

    Annallee clenched her hands. ¡°It¡¯s definitely over 2,000, but how¡¯s that possible? She looks younger than me!¡±

    Keith sighed and thought the same. Maybe like his Mom and Aunt, she underwent grueling training from a young age, and if so, she probably belonged to the four families. The thought that he would soon mingle among such people when he moved in with his father left him sweating.

    He was going to get bullied, wasn¡¯t he?

 Collect The World - Chapter 30

    Chapter 30

    Annallee stood next to a raised platform housing a repurposed illusion array, watching as Keith dodged semi-transparent projectiles with ease. As the crowd watched in awe, the employee in charge of the array was amazed as Keith remained untouched no matter how high they raised the difficulty.

    Dodging attacks from all angles, the edges of Keith¡¯s body flickered bizarrely, as if he was phasing out of existence ¨C a side effect of using Void Shadowstep. Suddenly, Keith paused when he found no more projectiles sent his way. Turning towards the operator in confusion, they replied, ¡°Congratulations! You¡¯ve beaten the game and earned 50 stamps.¡±

    ¡°Dang.¡± Keith clicked his tongue as he jumped off the platform. To his surprise, he managed to pick up a few levels in Void Shadowstep and wanted to see how far he could go, but just when it started to grow hard, the game ended. Walking up to the operator, he took his stamps and asked, ¡°Do you know who created this game? It''s great for training movement skills.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡± The employee thought for a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t know who created it, but the one here is more or less a knock-off version compared to the ones the military has. They don¡¯t let just anyone use it, unfortunately.¡±

    ¡°Ah, thanks for the info,¡± Keith replied as he returned to his sister and wondered if his Aunt could get him access to the ¡®real¡¯ game.

    Giving Keith a thumbs up, Annallee smiled, ¡°Nice performance. I didn¡¯t expect you to do so well.¡±

    Keith groaned. ¡°Ugh, I better be considering the training Auntie put me through.¡±

    ¡°I can imagine.¡± Annallee nodded as she scanned the convention. ¡°I think that was the last game. Let¡¯s see what prizes we can get.¡±

    Probably gonna be protein shakes and dumbbells, Keith thought as he followed his sister to the prize booth. The employee handling the store smiled as they approached after waiting for their turn. ¡°Hello, what would you like to buy?¡±

    Behind the employee was a large rack containing bodybuilding merchandise like clothes and accessories, but the three elixirs at the top drew Keith''s attention. Granting a few stats when consumed, elixirs were in such high demand that the military had an open offer to purchase them for millions of gold. Keith didn¡¯t expect to see them here, much less three.

    Immediately pointing to the elixirs, Keith asked, ¡°How many stamps for those?¡±

    The employee chuckled with a knowing grin. ¡°They¡¯re being raffled away. If you want a chance to get them, you need to pay 100 stamps. We¡¯ll announce the winner in a few hours.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± Keith¡¯s excitement vanished. Considering the number of people here, his odds of winning the elixirs were slim. Shifting his attention to the merchandise, he picked out a few pieces of clothing he thought had a cool style.

    As Keith took the clothes and stored them away, Annallee spoke up, ¡°Um, Keith? You know those shirts explode into pieces when you flex your upper body, right?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Keith looked at his sister in utter bewilderment. ¡°Why would they do that?¡±

    Annallee shrugged. ¡°According to Uncle Ridger, it¡¯s an ongoing gag in the community.¡±

    Shaking his head, Keith thought to himself, and here I thought he had some strange fetish showing off his muscles. Though, to be fair, the shirt exploding is pretty cool.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    After Annallee exchanged all her stamps, it was almost time for the show to start, so they went and found some seats near the main stage. As Keith looked around the venue, he asked his sister, ¡°When do you go on?¡±

    ¡°A bit after the opening performance,¡± Annallee replied as she squeezed her hands between her thighs.

    Noticing this, Keith assured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be fine. From what I¡¯ve seen, everyone here seems very encouraging and supportive. Nobodies gonna laugh at you.¡±

    ¡°Mm, I know,¡± Annallee sighed. ¡°It just sucks because I know I won¡¯t get first place since I just started training a few months ago.¡±

    ¡°Pfft, that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about?¡± Keith laughed. He thought she was nervous, but it seemed like he was worrying over nothing.

    At that moment, Keith smelled a refreshing floral scent, followed by someone taking the seat to his left. Turning to see who his new neighbor was, he was stunned to see a familiar petite figure ¨C the freakishly strong girl who shocked everyone with her strength.

    Keith quickly glanced away and poked his sister¡¯s shoulder to grab her attention. Secretly gesturing for her to look behind him, she widened her eyes upon seeing the girl. Calming down, Keith thought this was a perfect chance to introduce himself to this young powerhouse. Letting out a forced cough, Keith turned to the orange-haired girl. ¡°Hello, are you participating in the competition?¡±

    The girl inspected Keith for a second before shaking her head. ¡°No, I¡¯m here to watch someone who is.¡±

    ¡°Ah, me too.¡± Keith pointed over his shoulder. ¡°My sister¡¯s participating in the flexibility section, so I came to support her.¡±

    The girl nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯m here for my dad.¡±

    Sitting in silence for a moment, Keith rubbed his nose and said, ¡°I suppose I should thank you.¡±

    Puzzled, the girl looked over. ¡°What for?¡±

    Keith sighed. ¡°I happened to be nearby when you smashed that slab to pieces. To be honest, I had become a bit conceited recently, thinking I¡¯d surpass my peers in due time. Now I know there are some crazily talented people out there, and it was only wishful thinking on my part that I could catch up to them without putting in enough effort. So, I wanted to thank you for giving me this reminder.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± The girl¡¯s eyes narrowed as she looked Keith dead in the eye. ¡°Are you saying you can catch up to me as long as you work hard?¡±

    Feeling a familiar phantom pain in his chest, Keith placed a hand over his heart and nodded. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if I can or can¡¯t. I must!¡±

    The girl stared into Keith¡¯s eyes as if searching for something.  After a moment, she smiled, ¡°If you want to catch up to me, you¡¯ve got a long road ahead of you.¡±

    ¡°Haha, I believe you,¡± Keith chuckled, knowing her stats were far beyond his. However, he knew that with his Grimoire, it was only a matter of time before he caught up.

    Extending her hand, the young woman said, ¡°My name is Rhea, a wanderer.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Keith. Nice to meet you, Rhea.¡± Keith shook her hand and wondered aloud, ¡°What¡¯s a wanderer? I¡¯ve never heard of it.¡±

    Rhea wore a composed expression as she explained, ¡°Instead of relying on other people, I make all my tools, weapons, food, and equipment. Together with my family, we wander the world, spending our time in Rifts or the wilderness.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Isn¡¯t that the same thing as what barbarians do?¡± Keith exclaimed as he secretly cast a glance at his sister.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get me started,¡± Rhea groaned and waved her hand dismissively, ¡°for some reason, the word ¡®barbarian¡¯ has recently gotten some negative connotations attached to it. I¡¯m an adorable girl, not a dumb brute.¡±

    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t deny that wanderer does sound cooler. It has a mysterious vibe to it,¡± Keith remarked with a grin after seeing how cute Rhea looked when pouting.

    ¡°I know, right!¡± Rhea grew animated.

    ¡°I¡¯m a little confused, though,¡± Keith tilted his head, ¡°isn¡¯t it inefficient to try and do everything yourself? Why not rely on specialists?¡±

    Rhea rolled her eyes. ¡°It isn¡¯t about efficiency. It¡¯s about living a fulfilling life.¡±

    Keith thought about it for a moment before replying, ¡°I think I understand. If you spend countless hours making your supplies, you¡¯ll gain more appreciation for the things you have.¡±

    Nodding repeatedly, Rhea glanced at Keith, ¡°If you¡¯re serious about growing stronger, I suggest you become a wanderer. The skills and stats you gain from this lifestyle are insane.¡±

    ¡°I bet,¡± Keith sighed, ¡°I like living in a society, though. Plus, my innate gift would suffer greatly without relying on other people.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s a shame.¡±

    Suddenly, the lights dimmed. It was time for the competition to begin.

 Collect The World - Chapter 31

    Chapter 31

    The now-filled seating area grew silent as thousands of eyes focused their attention on the raised stage. Sensing the atmosphere change, Keith took a deep breath as he watched ten cloaked figures step onto the platform. Although unable to see their appearance, he could tell that each person was easily over six feet tall and boasted massive frames. In particular, one among them was almost eight feet high, which was no doubt the tallest person Keith had ever seen.

    After getting into formation, the cloaked figures turned to face the crowd as the lights on the ceiling focused on the stage. Suddenly, they threw off their cloaks, revealing men and women of different races. Standing out from the rest, the eight-foot-tall man had wild shoulder-length hair and an unkempt beard, with tribalistic tattoos covering his chest and limbs.

    Although Keith didn¡¯t recognize him, many among the audience did. Countless ladies and gentlemen stood to their feet in shock and joy, all screaming like obsessed fans.

    ¡°No way!¡±

    ¡°Oh my god! It¡¯s Ska¡¯dur!¡±

    Recognizing a familiar figure, Keith looked to his right and saw Uncle Ridger shouting like the rest, his face red with excitement. To see his usually refined Uncle behave in such a manner sent shivers down Keith¡¯s spine, but then, he suddenly understood why.

    Ska¡¯dur, the barbarian king.

    A man recognized across all races to be the strongest person alive, at least publically. His innate gift allowed him to consume monster eggs and gain their powers¡ªa frightening ability. Keith figured Ska¡¯dur was level 500. The only strange thing was how young Ska¡¯dur looked, as Keith knew the man was already several hundred years old. I suppose stats prolong lifespan longer than I thought, Keith wondered before pausing at a sudden realization.

    Keith turned to his left and noticed Rhea had a rather disgruntled expression. Amused, he leaned over and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m guessing your dad likes the name barbarian?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Rhea grumbled.

    Letting out a chuckle, Keith turned his attention back to the stage only to realize Ska¡¯dur may or may not be glaring at him. No, he definitely was. Thankfully, Ska¡¯dur refocused on his job once fog began to emit from the stage. The ten people on stage released a mighty bellow as drums appeared before them. Wielding large mallets, they slammed down with such ferocity a shockwave rippled across the audience.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    To Keith¡¯s surprise, he felt energized when the shockwave passed through him. The physical impact combined with the majestic sound of the drum gave him a rush of adrenaline he hadn¡¯t quite experienced before.

    And yet, that was just the start.

    Over the following minutes, the ten drummers varied their motions as they played a song that inspired the imagination¡ªscenes of an ancient and primal battle against the world, using your body to overcome all odds and emerging victorious. It was euphoric.

    When the song finally ended, Keith collapsed in his seat, unaware he stood up at some point. A notification hovered in front of him.

    Congratulations! Due to a unique vision, your skills related to combat have increased by various levels.

    Miraculously, the song increased Keith¡¯s Void Shadowstep skill by 23 levels. That was weeks of effort obtained in an instant. Unfortunately, he possessed few skills made for combat, so he didn¡¯t benefit as much as other people. But he didn¡¯t care. In his opinion, just hearing the song was more than enough.

    Feeling a tug on his shoulder, Keith turned to Rhea as she asked with a smile. ¡°How was my tribe¡¯s war song?¡±

    ¡°How was it?¡± Keith sighed. ¡°I¡¯d say I never felt so alive. I didn¡¯t know music was so powerful.¡±

    Rhea was surprised. ¡°You should try going to some professional performances. My tribe only focuses on drums, but other groups use all sorts of instruments. Their skill levels are a lot higher too.¡±

    ¡°I definitely will,¡± Keith immediately agreed and decided to look up any bands performing soon when he got home.

    Ska¡¯dur and the other performers had already left the stage when the crowd recovered from the song and began cheering. Once the noise quieted down, a female orc wearing formal attire strode up with a microphone in her hand. ¡°Well, that was intense, wasn¡¯t it? I¡¯m sure many of you competing today are now more eager than ever to show off your skills, so I won¡¯t take up much of your time.¡±

    The orc looked over the crowd as she said, ¡°Remember, winning or losing isn¡¯t what this competition is about, but rather to overcome yourself. Incremental improvement is the road to success, and as long as you have the will to improve, you have no limits. No matter how powerful someone is, they were level 1 once. Keep that in mind.¡±

    Keith deeply agreed with the orc¡¯s speech and took her words to heart, and it seemed his sister felt the same because she was no longer nervous when he glanced over. After the orc gave the crowd some time to contemplate, she briefly explained the different categories people would compete in before announcing the start of the competition.

    The next few hours flew by as Keith watched with awe and respect at the feats of strength people revealed during the competition. Of those around Keith¡¯s age, one orc could deadlift over 2,500 pounds, while a dwarf endured over 100 times normal gravity. Perhaps most disturbing was when his sister competed. Her competitors could bend their bodies in such ways that Keith would no doubt break his bones if he tried the same.

    All in all, it was an eye-opening experience. Keith realized that hundreds of people his age were stronger than him in just this event alone, and who knew how many if you included the whole world. But he wasn¡¯t discouraged. Like the orc said at the start, they were all level 1 once.

 Collect The World - Chapter 32

    Chapter 32

    While watching the competition, Keith took some time to get to know Rhea. It was mostly just him inquiring about her life as a wanderer, as he didn¡¯t have many things to share about himself. However, learning of her many exploits made him question his choices in life so far. Rhea was just a few months older than Keith, yet she had already accomplished many incredible things. It was both demoralizing and motivating at the same time.

    The competition had ended some time ago, yet Rhea and Keith still sat where they were as Rhea shared the story of her tribe¡¯s coming-of-age ritual. ¡°My tribe has a tradition that we must survive in a Rift for a month before acquiring our innate gift to show we can excel without it. Oh, we also aren¡¯t allowed to bring in any supplies or equipment.¡±

    Keith gasped. ¡°That¡¯s intense.¡±

    ¡°The start was annoying for sure,¡± Rhea nodded with a grimace. ¡°In the Bog Marsh Rift, it''s each monster for themselves. I did my best to stay hidden until I found a wounded beast on the verge of death. After killing it, I harvested everything I could and crafted a pair of bone daggers. Things became much easier after that. Every kill meant new equipment, and every herb meant a new potion. Eventually, a month was over.¡±

    Seeing Rhea shrug with indifference, Keith shook his head in disbelief. She made it sound easy, but he knew better. Harvesting, crafting, herblore, potion-making, cooking. She used the skills she honed for years as a wanderer to create a path to victory.

    ¡°Jeez, hearing about your feats makes me feel invigorated.¡± Keith¡¯s eyes were practically shining when he thought of how much effort and work she put into cultivating such a diverse skill set.

    Rhea observed Keith and found he was genuinely impressed. ¡°Y¡¯know, most people either try to suck up to me upon learning who my dad is or feel jealous when they learn about my strength. And yet, you feel motivated instead.¡±

    ¡°Uh, sorry?¡± Keith scratched his cheek and wasn¡¯t sure how to respond.

    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize,¡± Rhea smiled with a shake of her head. ¡°I meant it as a compliment.¡±

    Neither of them spoke as the mood turned awkward, and it was only after a few moments when Rhea turned to Keith. ¡°To tell you the truth, I didn¡¯t sit here by chance.¡±

    Keith met Rhea¡¯s gaze and wondered if this was a confession. Just the thought caused his heart to race. Unfortunately, he was way off the mark when Rhea revealed, ¡°I recognized your movement skill earlier and guessed your identity based on some rumors going around. I approached you to learn what sort of person you were.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Keith felt strangely disappointed, though he didn¡¯t find it too much of a stretch for Rhea to recognize his movement skill. Considering she was Ska¡¯dur¡¯s daughter, she was probably privy to top-secret information. Hell, she might have met his dad and Yara for all he knew. Pushing these distracting thoughts aside, he met Rhea¡¯s gaze and asked, ¡°So what did you find?¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Rhea shook her head. ¡°When I first saw you, I almost couldn¡¯t believe it. I wondered how Yara¡¯s grandson could be as harmless as a pet rabbit.¡±

    Keith gawked and grew embarrassed. Rhea didn¡¯t care about his reaction and continued, ¡°But then when I sat here and started talking with you, I learned that you¡¯re a genuinely good person.¡±

    Keith almost had whiplash from the change in Rhea¡¯s evaluation as she said, ¡°Honestly, you¡¯re a breath of fresh air. I hope you stay the way you are with the things to come.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Keith didn¡¯t understand what she meant by her last sentence.

    Rhea looked at Keith in puzzlement. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°Know what?¡± Keith started to get an ominous feeling from Rhea¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°About the gate-¡°

    ¡°Enough.¡± A deep voice suddenly cut Rhea off. Keith glanced behind him and found Ska¡¯dur sitting a few rows back. At some point, the man had arrived and sat behind them without either of them noticing. Now that he revealed himself, Ska¡¯dur stood up and glared at Keith. ¡°If he remains in the dark, it isn¡¯t our place to inform him. It¡¯s time to go.¡±

    Rhea sighed as she watched her father leave without leaving any room for negotiation. Standing up, she gave Keith a warm smile, ¡°Sorry about him. We¡¯ll meet again.¡±

    Keith watched as Rhea followed after her father and disappeared out of sight before sighing to himself. Learning about Rhea left him torn. The two weren¡¯t even comparable. While they were the same age, Rhea had already accomplished so much while he merely lived off his family. However, rather than becoming jealous of her achievements and strength, Keith considered her a role model to strive towards.

    Starting tomorrow, I need to train twice as hard. Keith clenched his hands and mustered his resolve.

    Sometime later, Annallee and Uncle Ridger sought out Keith, and the group returned home. When they entered the front door, Annallee turned to Keith and said, ¡°Thanks for coming. I appreciate it.¡±

    ¡°No problem, it was fun. I didn¡¯t expect to see someone like Ska¡¯dur there,¡± Keith replied.

    Uncle Ridger caressed his beard and asked, ¡°I saw him talk to you earlier. Did he say anything?¡±

    ¡°Not really.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡± Uncle Ridger found it strange. ¡°He¡¯s a good friend of your father, you know.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he thinks I¡¯m too weak to talk to,¡± Keith joked when recalling Rhea¡¯s comment.

    Uncle Ridger simply nodded in agreement, much to Keith¡¯s dismay. Shrugging helplessly, Keith asked, ¡°I¡¯m going to my room. When¡¯s dinner?¡±

    ¡°Give me a little to unwind,¡± Uncle Ridger stretched his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯ll be in an hour or so.¡±

    After entering his room, Keith started looking up any upcoming performances for professional bands. Halfway through, he decided to send a message to his Aunt asking about the military-grade training arrays.

    There was good news and bad news.

    Serilla could grant him access, but he needed to join a queue. She didn¡¯t feel comfortable allowing Keith to cut in line, considering anybody wanting to train there needed to spend their military contribution points. That meant Keith needed to wait around two months.

    After eating dinner with his family, Keith prepared for bed and began thinking. In just a few weeks, he¡¯d leave home and move in with his Dad. He didn¡¯t know what that entailed, but it made him uncomfortable.

    In the meantime, all he could do was wait for Zeidrick to get back to him. Keith hoped the world¡¯s greatest craftsman could resolve some of the orb¡¯s shortcomings because otherwise, he would need to find another way to fight.

 Collect The World - Chapter 33

    Chapter 33

    The next day, Keith woke up earlier than usual to join Annallee and Uncle Ridger in their morning workout session, much to their surprise. Sadly, Keith didn¡¯t get the ¡®rush¡¯ his sister and Uncle experienced when working out, so he could only grit his teeth and bear with the pain.

    And so, two hours later, Keith made his way to the living room and collapsed facefirst on the couch. If a disaster struck at this moment, he¡¯d just stay still and play dead. He was too exhausted to make an effort.

    However, Keith had to admit the pain was worth it. In two short hours, he gained 6 points in Strength and 4 points in Health. That was more stat points than what a single level gave. And it only took Keith what, two hours? He couldn¡¯t believe it.

    When Keith voiced his doubts to Uncle Ridger, he warned Keith shouldn¡¯t expect such incredible growth to be the norm. Conventional methods could only gain so many stats. Eventually, the System wouldn¡¯t grant you a single point. For example, the last time Uncle Ridger gained a stat point from working out was several months ago. At that point, you had to get creative and use special potions or gravity rooms.

    Mariane had been reading a book in the living room when Keith entered and subsequently collapsed on the couch. Seeing his pitiful state, she teased, ¡°Did you make sure to drink your protein shake?¡±

    When Keith groaned in response, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t waste it. The herbs that go into that shake are very expensive.¡±

    Keith¡¯s ear perked up at the word ¡®expensive.¡¯ He wondered if he should secretly collect one. Uh, probably not. Those shakes were Uncle Ridger¡¯s work of love. How could he shamelessly steal it?

    By the time the sun reached its peak, Keith had rested long enough to regain a bit of his usual energy. Sitting up, he saw Uncle Doven sleeping on a chair with drool hanging from his mouth while his mother was still engrossed in her book. A thought occurred to him just then.

    ¡°Mom,¡± Keith called out, ¡°you never explained how Uncle Doven¡¯s related to you.¡±

    Mariane looked over. ¡°Oh? I guess you¡¯re right. It¡¯s nothing so amazing. He¡¯s the manifestation of my innate gift ¨C a soul companion.¡±

    ¡°What? Really?¡± Keith¡¯s eyes lit up as he scrutinized Uncle Doven. ¡°Hm. Hm. I didn¡¯t know you had such tastes.¡±

    ¡°Pfft!¡± Mariane froze before exploding in anger. ¡°What the hell does that mean? Huh?¡±

    Keith gave an expression that said, ¡®you know what I¡¯m talking about.¡¯ Exasperated, Mariane threw the book she was reading at Keith and explained, ¡°That isn¡¯t his real appearance. It''s an illusion cast by an item.¡±

    Keith paused. ¡°Why do you need to hide his real appearance?¡±

    ¡°Heh,¡± Mariane sneered in contempt, ¡°don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you.¡±

    Mariane mentally communicated with Uncle Doven as Keith¡¯s imagination kicked into full drive. Was he so ugly that Mariane was too ashamed to walk around with him? Or maybe he was too beautiful? Keith imagined all sorts of reasons when the air around Uncle Doven suddenly rippled, revealing his true form.

    Keith was wrong.

    Uncle Doven wasn¡¯t a pretty boy, ugly, or anything like that. No, he was a black suit of full-body armor. The ends of his gauntlets and shoes had long claws while a gaping maw of serrated teeth spread across his helmet, giving Keith a scare.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Keith¡¯s mouth hung open as Mariane walked over and merged with Uncle Doven. When she did, the cloth bandages she always wore abruptly shot out between the gaps in the armor and hovered mysteriously in the air. The armor tilted its head as Mariane¡¯s voice came out from within. ¡°Scared?¡±

    Keith came to upon hearing his mother¡¯s question. He took a deep breath and shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t know my mother was the famous ¡®Mad Grappler.¡¯ If the world knew you were a helpless drunk, what would they think?¡±

    The Mad Grappler was a renowned soldier who fought against the demons fifty years ago in the last great war. Although no one knew her appearance, her unique and savage fighting style gave her great renown.

    Mariane was worried Uncle Doven¡¯s true appearance would cause Keith¡¯s attitude towards him to change, so she didn¡¯t expect him to crack a joke. Exasperated, she unmerged with Uncle Doven and defended herself. ¡°Alcohol only affects me if I want it to.¡±

    Keith shrugged dismissively and tossed back the book Mariane threw at him. Suddenly, he froze and wore a grave expression. ¡°I just realized something terrifying.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Mariane looked over and turned serious when she saw Keith¡¯s face.

    Keith slowly counted with his fingers before sighing, ¡°You¡¯re so much older than I thought. You were active in the war fifty years ago, so you must be approaching one hundred, right?¡±

    It took a moment for Mariane to process what she heard. When she did, tears formed in the corner of her eyes as she pouted, ¡°Why are you bullying me today? What happened to my adorable son?¡±

    Keith gave her a look. ¡°Was anything I said wrong?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll be single your entire life with an attitude like that,¡± Mariane grumbled as she turned away from Keith and returned to her book. In her mind, she calculated how many years were left until her one-hundredth birthday and felt miserable. Bah, whatever. Looks mattered more than age, and with her figure and face? Hmph.

    When Keith recovered some more energy, he returned to his room and wondered how to increase his strength further. The money from Adeiv was still coming in consistently, giving Keith guaranteed stats every week. It was quite exhilarating to cash in a massive paycheck every week and watch his CV, CP, and stats grow considerably. He wanted more of this type of growth.

    Laying in bed, Keith summoned his Grimoire and browsed through the shop and its functions while deep in thought. Keith currently had about 4 million CP after farming ants for two weeks and was now very close to reaching his goal of purchasing Equipment Enhancement. Once he got that, he would loan it to Adeiv and increase his weekly income.

    However, Keith began to have doubts. He flipped to the ¡®Energy¡¯ tab and saw his current Mana storage. Since he never used Mana for anything, Keith figured he might as well store it, so he currently had a bit over 50,000. It was unfortunate withdrawing it cost a considerable sum.

    That wasn¡¯t important.

    What mattered was two new functions unlocked in the shop when Keith first stored Mana in his Grimoire. He didn¡¯t consider the implications at the time because he was too excited to use the orbs. Now that Keith couldn¡¯t use them anymore, he considered what this meant.

    What if, like Mana, there were items he hadn¡¯t collected yet that would unlock new functions? What if they were potential money makers like Material Fragmentation and Material Synthesis? Keith¡¯s heart began to beat faster at the thought.

    Think.

    What was he missing?

    Keith racked his brains long and hard when his eyes abruptly lit up. That¡¯s it! Food, ores, metals - he¡¯d collected thousands of different items so far, but there was something he overlooked.

    Seeds.

    Who could blame him? How valuable were seeds compared to the food they produced? Keith had ignored them in the past, but now he realized they might be the key to unlocking new functions.

    Feeling increasingly certain he was on the right track, Keith went to the auction house and promptly purchased seeds of all types. Then, he sprinted out of his room, down the stairs, out the front door, and into the warehouse. Once he collected the seeds he ordered, he quickly brought up the Grimoire¡¯s shop.

    ¡°I knew it!¡± Keith exclaimed out loud and hopped in joy. Just like he thought, new functions appeared in the shop. However, when he read the description of the first one, he couldn¡¯t believe what he saw.

    Farming Simulator ¨C 5 million CP

    Description: Everything you need to to become a farmer. Mana cost varies. Experience cost varies. Gold cost varies. No cooldown.

    Why did it seem like his innate gift was taking a strange turn?

 Collect The World - Chapter 34

    Chapter 34

    There was another function besides the Farming Simulator function. Namely, Seed Synthesis. It was similar to Material Synthesis, except it could combine more than two things at once.

    Keith had many thoughts when he saw the Farming Simulator function priced at 5 million CP. What should he choose? The somewhat guaranteed money-making Equipment Enhancement or the uncertain Farming Simulator? It didn¡¯t take long for Keith to come to a decision. Obviously, it would be the Farming Simulator.

    Having decided that, Keith spent the next few hours using every braincell he had to find other items that might unlock more functions. Sadly, he came up short. He didn''t unlock any more functions despite collecting a few more obscure items.

    Fine, whatever.

    The next day, after working out, Keith took the orbs and farmed some level 250 monsters at a Rift far from any major cities. Thankfully, Uncle Doven pretty much had the whole world mapped out, so he could find Rifts that weren¡¯t very populated. Over the next three days, Keith collected all the items he could, and together with Adeiv¡¯s paycheck for the week, he finally reached 5 million CP.

    Keith quickly returned to his room and opened the Grimoire¡¯s shop to purchase the Farming Simulator function. With one tap, 5 million CP was gone, just like that. It took him several weeks to accrue 5 million CP, so who knew how long it would take to get Mana Battery. If he had that, there was no need for the orbs. He could just cast everything himself. Well, as long as he found a way to generate and store enough Mana beforehand. Oh well, a problem for another time.

    Keith returned to the Grimoire¡¯s front page and found a new tab at the top called ¡®Minigames.¡¯ Uh? Would farmers get mad if they knew his Grimoire referred to their craft as a game? Best to keep it to himself.

    Opening the tab, Keith found a box with the picture of a field. The top of the box had the words ¡®Farming Simulator¡¯. When Keith tapped the box with his mind, a massive screen popped up, startling Keith so much he took a few steps back. Chuckling to himself, Keith focused on the screen and instantly became overwhelmed. There were all sorts of buttons, icons, and words, similar to his magic tablet. It seemed this Farming Simulator minigame wasn¡¯t as simple as he thought.

    Keith eventually understood everything the minigame had to offer after spending a good chunk of an hour parsing through all the information. To be honest, he felt conflicted. On the one hand, the Farming Simulator was amazing. Not only could Keith grow crops and harvest them automatically in a sealed dimension within the Grimoire, there were additional functions he could purchase like Seed Synthesis that added onto the minigame.

    If that was all, there was no problem.

    However!

    According to the minigame¡¯s rules, he could only plant one seed per plot. Keith¡¯s farming dimension currently only had one plot. To increase his farm¡¯s plots, he needed to spend money. Ok, fine. It was just a bit of money, right?If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    No!

    Each seed had a corresponding growth time, and numerous factors affected this: dirt, water, sunlight, and compost. As it stood, the quality of Keith¡¯s dirt, water, sunlight, and compost was 1. To increase their quality, he needed to spend money. Not CP, but gold in the real world.

    Keith ground his teeth and gave his Grimoire a new look. Why was it so greedy? Now, not only did he need gold to withdraw items in his Grimoire, he needed to invest in a farming minigame. Fine, fine. Keith decided to run a few tests before he came to any conclusions.

    The seeds Keith collected a few days ago were in the storage tab. Thankfully, he could transfer them into the minigame at no cost. Interestingly, their description changed once in the game.

    [Rare] Watermelon Seed

    Growth time: 24 hours

    Harvest quantity: 1 Watermelon, 1 Watermelon seed

    Mutation chance: 0

    Failure chance: 50%

    Simple enough, but Keith found the growth time too long. Agh! Invest! So what if he spent a little money? He still had a bit over 100,000 gold from Adeiv¡¯s last check. With that said, Keith repeatedly pushed the upgrade buttons for dirt, water, sunlight, and compost. Go, go, go!

    Keith saw his farm''s stats change in real-time, but the cost increased exponentially with every upgrade. He immediately stopped when he saw that a single upgrade cost over 1,000 gold. Glancing casually at his balance, Keith froze in shock when he saw how much he spent. What the hell? Getting dirt, water, sunlight, and compost to quality level 50 took over 50,000 gold. Exponential growth was so scary.

    Keith gave a quick prayer to his lost gold. Although he felt heartbreak, he consoled himself by saying he was helping the economy fight inflation. Every gold coin Keith spent on the Grimoire was one less gold in the world. Wasn¡¯t he a good citizen? Yes, his thinking was right.

    Now that the farm¡¯s qualities improved, there should be some changes, right? Keith expectantly opened the information for a watermelon seed. Oh my!

    [Rare] Watermelon Seed

    Growth time: 45 minutes

    Harvest quantity: 3 Watermelons, 1 Watermelon seed

    Mutation chance: 0.1%

    Failure chance: 0%

    Just look at that growth time and harvest quantity. Fantastic. There wasn¡¯t even a failure chance to boot. Of course, a watermelon seed was very ordinary, so its requirements weren¡¯t too stringent.

    Finding the growth time acceptable, Keith promptly ordered his Grimoire to plant the watermelon seed in the only spot he had. While he waited for it to grow, Keith checked the price of a watermelon seed and a ripe watermelon. The profit margin was minimal. Extremely so. Keith expected as much. There were tons of people with innate gifts suited for farming, so the market was fully saturated.

    Keith remained positive. He didn¡¯t need to sell the crops he grew. Now that he had a personal farm in hand, it meant he could passively accrue CV and CP. But there was still one factor Keith was unsure of. Mutations. How good were they? There was only one way to find out. However, relying on one plot to land that 0.1% mutation chance would take too long. Keith looked at his remaining gold and took a breath.

    Invest!

    Go, go, go!

    It only took a few upgrades before Keith ran out of money. Agh! Damn you, exponential growth! 50,000 gold was only enough to expand his farm to 25 plots. Keith forced himself to calm down. This was all for the greater good in the fight against inflation. Yes, Keith made a great sacrifice today.

    Now that Keith had 25 plots for seeds, the odds of getting a mutated watermelon were much higher. Keith calculated with his fingers. Drat. The chance was still too low. Fine, back to killing monsters for gold! For the economy!

 Collect The World - Chapter 35

    Chapter 35

    When Keith spent two weeks at the Ant Hill Rift, he pooled every gold coin monsters dropped into withdrawing the experience his Grimoire collected. But now that his goal wasn¡¯t to level up, he was making so much gold no one else at his level could compare.

    After all, unlike other adventurers, Keith relied on the Mana Reactor for Mana. That meant he didn¡¯t need to spend his earnings on Mana arrays at home or purchasing Mana recovery equipment. This advantage allowed Keith to make 100,000 gold in a single day, a shocking number. That income was usually only seen by level 400+ adventurers.

    Keith returned home by nightfall in a good mood. Not only did he make a killing, one of his watermelons successfully mutated, increasing its grade to Epic.

    [Epic] Watermelon Seed

    Growth time: 1 hour

    Harvest quantity: 3 Watermelons, 1 Watermelon seed

    Mutation chance: 0.01%

    Failure chance: 0%

    Having a way to increase an item¡¯s grade consistently was excellent news. Keith immediately knew this feature was the key to success, so he decided to change his plans. Farming watermelons would be a waste of his farm¡¯s potential. Plus, professional farmers had already saturated the market with watermelons and other foods at every grade.

    Keith needed to raise his standards.

    There were all sorts of herbs and trees in high demand with little supply. For example, icorelia was a key herb used in an extraordinary potion that permanently boosted the drinker¡¯s ice resistance. Not only did icorelia need to be grown in an inhumanely cold environment, it also needed the blood of level 400+ ice element monsters. However, all Keith needed to do was plant it on his farm, and the Grimoire would do the rest.

    That thought excited Keith so much he spent an entire day researching what to grow without doing anything else. After gaining some understanding of the market, he decided on his first target: bramblethorn.

    Bramblethorn was an ingredient for a potion that permanently increased its consumer¡¯s Health. Since everyone wanted more Health, it was always in high demand. Someone would purchase them whenever they appeared on the market, making them a safe investment.

    Keith quickly opened up the auction house module on his magic tablet to surprisingly find not a single bramblethorn seed for sale. He was stumped. Keith didn¡¯t have any connections with distributors, so how was he to get it? Apparently, he needed to rely on his Aunt again. Just as Keith was about to make the call, he remembered Adeiv Strande mentioning he was well connected.

    Keith thought for a moment before deciding to call Adeiv first. He would rather rely on a connection he forged than to have his Aunt use her authority in the military to get what he needed.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. K,¡± Adeiv¡¯s voice came from the tablet a few moments later.

    Keith didn¡¯t beat around the bush and said, ¡°I was wondering if you could get me some bramblethorn seeds and potentially other seeds if I needed them.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Adeiv paused. Normally, he would¡¯ve declined acting as a middleman if the profits weren¡¯t high enough, but Adeiv was now Keith¡¯s liaison with Umbra. Profits were no longer the main concern. ¡°Sure, I can do that for you. How many do you need?¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°Um, about 25.¡±

    ¡°Got it. Give me a few minutes.¡± Adeiv promptly hung up after stating his intentions. Just like he promised, a few minutes later, Adeiv called back and said, ¡°I have someone willing to sell them at 20,000 gold a seed. Although I don¡¯t know the market, the person is trustworthy.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Keith held back from shouting in surprise at the exorbitant price. 25 seeds were 500,000 gold? He didn¡¯t expect them to be so expensive. Sighing, Keith said, ¡°I need a few days before I can gather the funds.¡±

    Adeiv took this chance to get closer to Keith. ¡°How about this? You can give me your next two payments from our contract, and I¡¯ll cover the cost for the seeds.¡±

    ¡°Really? Thank you!¡± Keith felt grateful.

    ¡°No problem.¡± Adeiv grabbed a pencil and paper. ¡°Where should I forward the seeds?¡±

    Keith hesitated for a moment before telling Adeiv his address. It wasn¡¯t possible to have the items teleported to Keith¡¯s warehouse because an array technician needed to manually add any new connections to the teleportation array. Anyway, Adeiv wasn¡¯t a stranger anymore.

    ¡°It¡¯ll arrive by tomorrow. Is that all?¡± Adeiv asked.

    After Keith said, ¡®I think so,¡¯ Adeiv promptly hung up, surprisingly Keith a little.  Shaking his head, Keith sent Adeiv a sentence saying thanks before calling it a day.

    The next morning, soon after Keith finished working out, someone knocked on the front door. Being the closest, Ridger opened the door and found a deliveryman wearing some company¡¯s uniform. ¡°Hello, I have a package here for Mr. K.¡±

    ¡°Mr. K? Oh. One second, I¡¯ll fetch him.¡± Ridger left and returned with Keith soon after.

    When Keith heard the package had arrived, he quickly rushed over and greeted the delivery man, ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Mr. K.¡±

    The deliveryman was surprised and wondered why someone Keith¡¯s age would purchase such expensive seeds. He could only chalk it up to rich people doing rich people things. Clearing his throat, the deliveryman withdrew a small metal box no larger than a palm and handed it over.

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Keith excitedly took the container and shut the door when the delivery man turned to leave. Rushing back to his room, Keith opened the box and found a hand-written note on top of a bag containing 25 pointed seeds. The note read, ¡®If you¡¯re selling, I¡¯ll buy any bramblethorn you grow at market price.¡¯ Below the message was the contact information of a Mr. Ivory. How convenient.

    Placing the note aside, Keith opened the bag and held a bramblethorn seed in his hand. The thing was no bigger than his fingernail. It was a wonder how something so small could be so expensive.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see your stats.¡± Keith¡¯s eyes gleamed as he stored the seeds in his Grimoire before transferring them to the farming minigame.

    [Rare] Bramblethorn Seed

    Growth time: 2 weeks

    Harvest quantity: 1 Bramblethorn, 1 Bramblethorn seed

    Mutation chance: 0%

    Failure chance: 95%

    Keith¡¯s expression warped as if he had just stepped on poop. From the looks of it, he set his standards too high. Bramblethorn was so high level that it took two weeks to grow with only a 5% success rate. There wasn¡¯t even a mutation chance.

    Sighing, Keith figured he needed to raise the quality of his farm before planting the seeds. Otherwise, he¡¯d just be throwing money away. What kind of minigame needed so much gold? Fine. Keith reluctantly accepted the situation. It was time to kill monsters again.

    And so, over the following days, Keith¡¯s schedule consisted of working out in the morning before hunting monsters all day. He invested all the gold he earned into raising the quality of his farm¡¯s dirt, water, compost, and sunlight. Each increase in level lowered the bramblethorn seed¡¯s growth time and failure rate, renewing Keith¡¯s determination and creating a positive feedback loop.

    Eventually, after two weeks of hard work, Keith finally found it acceptable to plant the seeds.

    [Rare] Bramblethorn Seed

    Growth time: 3 days

    Harvest quantity: 2 Bramblethorn, 1 Bramblethorn seed

    Mutation chance: 0.1%

    Failure chance: 40%

    Ideally, he wanted to bring the failure chance down a bit more, but the time to meet his Dad and Grandmother had arrived. Besides moving in with them, he had no idea what they had in mind for him.

    To be honest, Keith was more than nervous. According to his Mom and Aunt, Yara was the de facto ruler of over a billion people and one of the most powerful figures in the world. The only consolation was that his Mom, Uncle Ridger, Uncle Doven, Annallee, and Elora would be coming with him.

 Collect The World - Chapter 36

    Chapter 36

    In the morning, Keith and company teleported to Cadata before riding a flying monster pet past the cities and into the wilderness. Not long after, they landed near a paradisiacal mountain sitting before a crystal-clear lake. Purple-blossom trees covered the mountain from head to toe, with long strands of flowers growing off their branches as they swayed in the wind, giving the illusion the mountain was alive.

    Soon after they landed, a female dwarf garbed in butler¡¯s attire appeared from a path leading up the mountain. Like most dwarves, she was around five feet tall, had long braided hair, and thick limbs. She approached the group with a stern expression, her gaze landing on Keith for a moment before honing in on Ridger. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Ridger.¡±

    ¡°Boss Tora,¡± Ridger replied with a slight bow. ¡°You haven¡¯t aged a bit.¡±

    Tora ignored Ridger¡¯s comment and turned to Keith¡¯s mom. ¡°Has he performed his duties adequately, Lady Mariane?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s like a father to me,¡± Mariane replied with a smile. While she had never met Tora, she knew Tora was the head butler who trained Ridger among many others to serve the four families. The dwarf was a no-nonsense lady who took her job seriously. Mariane didn¡¯t expect to meet her here.

    ¡°Hmph.¡± Tora glared at Ridger. ¡°You¡¯ve overstepped your bounds, Ridger. Do I need to remind you of your role?¡±

    Ridger rolled his eyes, no longer afraid of this boss of his after so many years. ¡°What do you expect when I¡¯ve served her since she was a baby? It¡¯s inevitable for us to become family.¡±

    Just as Tora was about to respond, Keith couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Uncle Ridger has taken very good care of us.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Tora conceded. ¡°Since Younger Master Keith says so, I¡¯ll let you off.¡±

    Keith cringed when he heard how Tora referred to him, though he didn¡¯t expect his comment to so easily convince her.

    Giving the party a look-over, Tora stepped to the side and gestured at them. ¡°The Lady and Sir are waiting for us. Please follow me.¡±

    Mariane took the lead, with the rest following behind her. During the trek, Keith noticed that the higher he climbed, the faster his Mana recovered. He didn¡¯t need to check his Status to know. He could feel it. The pores on his body opened up and sucked in the ambient Mana, clearing his mind and rejuvenating his body. When the density of the Mana turned into a light blue mist, Tora explained, ¡°This mountain contains a naturally formed array. Living here will slightly increase your lifespan among other health benefits.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Mariane was surprised. ¡°There are such things?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tora replied with no further explanation.

    True to her words, Keith saw a notification pop up telling him he had acquired a temporary buff. Amazing. What other magical things were out there just waiting for him to discover?

    Inevitably the group reached the mountain''s peak, which turned out to be flat. Unlike the mountain path, the ground was paved with marble and filled with carefully curated plants. Walking forward, Tora pointed to the few residences on the peak, ¡°That mansion there belongs to you, Lady Mariane. That one is Lady Yara¡¯s and this one Sir Markus¡¯s.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°What about yours?¡± Keith asked after seeing only those three residences and nothing else.

    Tora replied with a smile, ¡°We butlers live by the lake at the foot of the mountain.¡±

    Keith fell silent as Tora led them to Yara¡¯s mansion. Twelve butlers were waiting at the front door, with only a demon missing among them. When Keith approached, they bowed and said in unison, ¡°Welcome home, Young Master Keith, Lady Mariane.¡±

    Keith froze on the spot, realizing at this moment what his status as Yara¡¯s grandson meant. To have twelve people collectively bow before you and call out your name with their eyes full of respect even though he accomplished nothing. He didn¡¯t like it in the slightest.

    ¡°Yeah, thanks,¡± Mariane casually replied as she strode through the front door, only to stop when she noticed Keith standing still. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Just a little nervous.¡± Keith took a deep breath and tried to ignore the servents as he walked past them, followed by Uncle Doven, Annallee, and Elora.

    Uncle Ridger stayed outside and said, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you guys at our new place.¡±

    ¡°Gotcha, see you soon,¡± Mariane nodded.

    Tora led them to a side room where Yara and Markus sat within. Keith¡¯s heart thundered in his chest when he locked gazes with his Father and Grandmother, though he immediately relaxed when he noticed how nervous his Father looked. Maybe they weren¡¯t so different after all.

    After a few awkward seconds, Yara turned to Tora, ¡°Thank you, Tora. You may leave us now.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lady.¡± Tora bowed before leaving, not forgetting to shut the door behind her.

    While Markus fidgeted in his seat, Yara took the initiative and approached Keith with a warm smile. ¡°Hello, Keith. My name is Yara Covay, and I¡¯m your grandmother.¡±

    Keith was floored by how young his grandma looked. She appeared no older than himself. Was this really someone hundreds of years old? It took a moment for Keith to recover and smile back, ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±

    Yara turned to Mariane and chuckled. ¡°I see your personality hasn¡¯t changed at all.¡±

    Mariane shrugged as Yara then faced Keith¡¯s sisters. ¡°You two must be Annallee and Elora. Thank you for keeping Keith out of trouble.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard work,¡± Annallee snickered while Elora gave a silent giggle.

    ¡°Come, find a seat,¡± Yara returned to her spot next to Markus, who was now sweating up a storm. As for Uncle Doven, he was completely ignored.

    Once everyone sat down, Mariane crossed her arms and glared at Markus, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to greet your son?¡±

    ¡°Ah-Uh,¡± Markus glanced everywhere but Keith and said, ¡°I¡¯m, uh, M-Markus. Y-yep, that¡¯s me.¡±

    ¡°Pfft!¡± Mariane roared with laughter. She had never seen Markus behave so unconfidently.

    ¡°Mom!¡± Keith jabbed Mariane in her ribs, embarrassed by her reaction.

    Yara gave her son a helpless glance before turning to Keith. ¡°Before we start talking, Keith, I want you to know that it was my decision to separate you from your father and have your mother raise you herself. If you resent anybody, please only resent me.¡±

    Markus looked at his mother in shock, not expecting her to be so straightforward. Keith was also surprised that his grandmother would bring up this awkward topic right at the start.

    ¡°Is that true?¡± Mariane glared at Markus, who remained silent.

    Keith clenched his hands and said, ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t understand why that was necessary.¡±

    ¡°You must have heard a bit about my ability, right?¡± Yara leaned back in her seat. ¡°I¡¯m able to peer into a person¡¯s future and see their significance, meaning their influence on the world. This path led to the most significance.¡±

    Keith took a moment to understand what she meant. Even then, he shook his head, ¡°I¡¯d rather have a father than have more influence on the world.¡±

    ¡°Then you would be a fool,¡± Yara replied calmly. Keith was rather taken aback by such a rude response as Yara continued, ¡°This world is only peaceful because I¡¯ve made it so. But such peace will last only three more years. When that time comes, you will thank me for making this choice for you.¡±

    Mariane¡¯s expression changed. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Yara took a deep breath. ¡°Pay very close attention to what I¡¯m about to say, and do not interrupt me.¡±

    After glancing at everyone, Yara explained her story, the truth about the world, the past, and events to come.

 Collect The World - Chapter 37

    Chapter 37

    Keith¡¯s world was called the Innate Dimension.

    Vast as it was, an impenetrable blue barrier covered it like a dome, sealing its inhabitants inside. However, a change occurred around five hundred years ago when a gateway opened in the barrier, leading to a land called the Grandsky Realm. Not only was Grandsky over a thousand times larger than the Innate Dimension, but it was also a land filled with strife and for no simple reason.

    Millenia ago, there were three dimensions sealed in a similar manner to the Innate Dimension: the Conceptual Dimension, Element Dimension, and Sins Dimension. Upon becoming 18 years of age, the inhabitants of the Conceptual Dimension gained an ability related to a concept and the Element Dimension an element. Only the Sins Dimension operated differently, granting seven individuals control over one of the seven deadly sins.

    All at once, a gateway appeared in these three dimensions, each leading to an uninhabited Grandsky Realm full of treasures and miraculous oddities. At the same time, a message came from the System, informing all sentient life that whoever gained possession of all three Dimensional Cores would become the ruler of the Grandsky Realm.

    And so, war ensued.

    Countless lives were lost, with heroes and villains rising and falling year after year. Technology advanced and declined, alliances were formed and broken, and cities were built and destroyed. Hatred between the dimensions festered like a cancerous tumor. Centuries flew by, with none accomplishing the System¡¯s mission.

    Five hundred years ago, the System decided to break the stalemate and introduced a fourth dimension. Soon after, Yara and her sect found the newly formed gateway to the Innate Dimension and quickly rushed inside to snatch its Dimensional Core. The Sin of Sloth and his horde entered right behind her, and a deadly battle ensued.

    When Sloth eventually died, Yara was the sole survivor of her sect. Her family and students were all killed, shattering her heart and consuming her mind with madness. Before she could enact her vengeance, she succumbed to Sloth¡¯s dying skill, a curse that forced her to sleep for the following five hundred years. Perhaps the System pitied Yara, who acquired the Dimension Core after losing everything, so it closed the gateway until she awoke.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    But there was a variable.

    Yara had two bodies: her main body and her true clone. Sloth¡¯s curse only affected Yara¡¯s main body, so her true clone remained awake. Sealed inside the Innate Dimension, unable to stake her life against the demons in a suicidal battle, she came up with a plan. Over the next five hundred years, she would dominate the Innate Dimension¡¯s natives and raise an army.

    And she did.

    Every dimension restricted its inhabitants from leveling past level 500 and creating skills or items above the Mythic grade, so controlling them through power was easy for an outsider like her, whose level far surpassed the natives. Plus, her talents in karma made such a plan all too efficient.

    Unknowingly, Yara¡¯s mind gradually recovered and returned to its previous state. The years had ground down her grief and rage, and after several hundred years, she no longer wanted to die in some final battle against the demons. That was when she had Markus and once again attained happiness.

    There was just one problem.

    A big one.

    While Yara¡¯s true clone continued living and eventually moved on, Yara¡¯s main body remained stuck in time. As soon as she awoke, she would compel the civilization Yara¡¯s true clone nurtured to join her in one final glorious battle. Yara¡¯s true clone knew her madness all too well. And so, there was only one option: Yara¡¯s main body must die.

    It was a nigh-impossible task.

    Yara¡¯s main body was level 984. The difference between that and level 500 was the same as level 500 and level 1. A level 500 could fight a hundred thousand level 1s and easily survive. Not only was there a massive level difference between both sides, but Yara¡¯s main body was one of the leaders of the Conceptual Dimension, so her equipment was the best it could be. A few were broken during the fight against Sloth, though most of it was still in working condition.

    That was why Yara¡¯s true clone had spent the last hundred years coming up with various plans and countermeasures. Now, all that remained was to wait. In three years at most, Yara¡¯s main body would wake up.

    Unfortunately, that was just the beginning.

    Once Yara¡¯s main body awoke, the gateway would re-open. The reality was the Innate Dimension was vastly underleveled and underequipped compared to the other three dimensions who spent the last three thousand years in the Grandsky Realm. To survive, they needed to catch up before anyone discovered the gateway. The time window was small. Too small for comfort.

    The peace the Innate Dimension enjoyed was a luxury unique to itself. As soon as the gateway opened, all that came would be bloodshed and death. That was why Yara called her grandson a fool and why she decided to have Keith grow up without a father.

    Only time would tell whether Yara¡¯s efforts would bear fruit, whether it be for Keith or the inhabitants of the Innate Dimension.

 Collect The World - Chapter 38

    Chapter 38

    At the start of Yara¡¯s story, Keith was immeasurably excited when he heard there were other dimensions out there, but his excitement didn¡¯t last for long. By the time Yara finished, he was at a loss. There was so much information to take in he didn¡¯t know what to make of it. Annallee and Elora had similar reactions. On the other hand, Mariane seemed unwilling to believe it.

    Both Mariane and her sister had long harbored doubts towards their father and Yara, never fully believing in whatever they said. They held in their minds a warped version of Yara that didn¡¯t reflect reality, thinking for sure she was up to no good. But now that Mariane had listened to Yara¡¯s unbelievable story, everything seemed to make sense. The signs were always there: the hushed rumors and hidden meanings that spoke of something greater.

    While Keith kept thinking about the relationship between Yara¡¯s main body and her true clone, Mariane focused on something else. Crossing her arms, she looked Yara in the eye. ¡°You spoke of different factions. What would happen to us if the demons encountered us first?¡±

    Yara¡¯s impression of Mariane rose since she easily deduced the key problem. ¡°It depends on what sin. Gluttony would raise us like livestock to consume, Wrath would ignore us, Pride would subjugate us, Envy would assimilate those with special abilities, Greed would pillage our land dry, Lust would siphon our life away, and Sloth would find someplace to sleep.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound very appealing,¡± Mariane replied while crossing her arms. ¡°What of the other two dimensions? Are they the same?¡±

    Yara shook her head. ¡°The Elemental and Conceptual Dimensions have some degree of morals and principles. Once they see our population, they will force us to join their banner. But make no mistake: you won¡¯t have the freedoms you enjoy now. Nepotism runs rampant at the top, and any rising talents will submit or perish.¡±

    Yara turned to her grandson. ¡°Keith, if you consider our society¡¯s values, what would you say they are?¡±

    It only took Keith a few moments to come up with an answer. ¡°Unity, Compassion, and Self-Improvement.¡±

    ¡°Very good.¡± Yara gave a satisfied smile. ¡°I spent a considerable amount of time to foster these core values, which allowed our people to enter a cycle of prosperity and growth.¡±

    Mariane raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are you trying to appeal to me?¡±

    ¡°You can think of it that way,¡± Yara laughed. ¡°Silly girl, do you think me and your father are oblivious? The only reason you haven¡¯t heard the truth until now was because of your rebellious nature.¡±

    ¡°Then why now?¡±

    Yara shrugged. ¡°It matters little at this point. There are so many moving parts nowadays that you would¡¯ve learned sooner or later.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Mariane frowned.

    Yara gave Mariane a sly smile. ¡°How many people do you think are level 500?¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Mariane¡¯s brow furrowed so hard she looked like she tasted crap. ¡°Are you saying there¡¯s a hidden force that I¡¯m unaware of?¡±

    Yara spread her hands instead of answering, causing Mariane to clench her teeth in annoyance. It almost seemed like Yara was intentionally trying to get on Mariane¡¯s nerves.

    ¡°Ahem.¡± Keith faked a cough. ¡°Grandma, I still don¡¯t understand how I¡¯m involved in all this. I¡¯m not very strong. Why have me move in if things are so serious?¡±

    Yara responded with a kind smile, ¡°Of course, because I want to see my handsome grandson."

    As Keith chuckled awkwardly, Markus suddenly looked directly at his son, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her. She¡¯s haughty and prideful. I¡¯ll tell you the truth: she wants you to follow in my footsteps and strive for the peak of strength.¡±

    Yara glared at Markus and snapped, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I alone can pave the road forward.¡± Markus stared back and spoke with supreme confidence. ¡°My son needs not to bear any responsibility.¡±

    Yara fell silent when she saw the resolve in Markus¡¯s eyes. It caught her off guard. Was her son finally taking a stand against her after all these years?

    Markus looked at Keith. ¡°Whether you like it or not, you stand at the center of a fierce storm. The things to come are uncertain; nobody knows what¡¯s going to happen, not even your grandmother.¡± Markus¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°You have the choice to stand by my side and lead our civilization forward against the world. If you choose this path, we will do everything in our power to increase your strength. We will supply you with countless elixers, top equipment, legacy skills, and a yearly income in the billions. The best people in several fields will devote their full attention to teaching you everything from combat to survival. In other words, our civilization will pool its resources into making you a sharp sword with which to smite our enemies. In exchange, you must devote every second of your life to safeguarding our people. Whether it be a farmer, teacher, or engineer ¨C they¡¯ve all contributed to our great civilization. Everybody has desires, loved ones, and dreams, but all of that can vanish in the blink of an eye in this dangerous world. Someone needs to protect them.¡±

    Markus paused for a moment. ¡°I vowed long ago to take on this responsibility. Keith, if you want, you can follow in my footsteps.¡±

    The room fell silent.

    Just this brief exchange let Keith know his father was a great man. How glorious his mission was. However, Keith¡¯s heartbeat was so fast it felt painful, and he struggled to breathe. Markus¡¯s sudden proposal caught him off guard. It was too grand and noble. The thought of serving the people as a leader sounded very appealing, especially all the items and wealth, but for Keith to spend the rest of his life fighting against all threats was much too daunting.

    Keith sneaked a peek at Markus¡¯s expression, wondering if his father had any hopes or expectations. To Keith¡¯s surprise, he couldn¡¯t glean anything. It was as if Markus didn¡¯t care what Keith chose.

    After nearly a minute passed without Keith coming to a decision, Markus smiled, ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m just way too strong. It doesn¡¯t matter if you help me or not.¡±

    ¡°Uh.¡± Keith was too stunned to respond.

    Markus continued, ¡°As my son, I want you to live a free and fulfilling life. That alone is enough to make me happy.¡±

    Keith took a deep breath and answered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m the type of person to take on such a big role. All I want is to grow strong enough to not burden my family.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize for anything,¡± Markus laughed. ¡°How about this? Let¡¯s create a training program. You¡¯ll get a set of rewards for every milestone you reach. What do you need? Money? Items? Equipment?¡±

    ¡°Gold coins.¡± Keith¡¯s eyes shined like stars.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Markus leaned forward with enthusiasm. ¡°Everyone needs a good training program. It has many benefits, like setting good habits an-¡±

    ¡°Enough, don¡¯t get started,¡± Yara interrupted with a roll of her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Is anyone else? Let¡¯s have lunch then.¡±

    When Yara left to find Tora, Keith finally relaxed. His first encounter with his Father and Grandmother wasn¡¯t as bad as he thought it would be.

 Collect The World - Chapter 39

    Chapter 39

    The following lunch turned out to be the most delicious meal Keith had ever eaten. Each bite of chicken exploded with tantalizing juices, the seasoned corn popped with flavor, while the mixed salad contained the freshest fruits and vegetables. Even Keith¡¯s drink, a simple lemonade, contained an addicting sweety taste. While eating, Keith was astonished to find he gained several points in Strength, Vitality, and Endurance.

    When Yara saw Keith, Annallee, and Elora¡¯s expressions, she was pleased to say, ¡°Arya, one of the servants, is a grandmaster chef, so you should expect this meal to be the standard while living here.¡±

    ¡°Amazing!¡± Keith had to give it to his Grandma. How many could say they had a personal grandmaster chef to cook all their meals?

    Lunch lasted over two hours, with Yara spending most of that time getting to know Keith, Annallee, and Elora. Markus and Mariane mostly kept quiet. Only after asking a gazillion questions did Yara look at the time and say, ¡°Ah, unfortunately, I¡¯m required elsewhere. Keith, Annallee, Elora, it was great talking with you. Let¡¯s plan for dinner tonight, okay?¡±

    Yara quickly left without waiting for a response. Markus coughed and said, ¡°She always does that. Don¡¯t mind it.¡±

    Taking Yara¡¯s lead, Keith, Mariane, Annallee, and Elora stood up to leave to check out their new home when Markus suddenly called out, ¡°Keith, can I speak with you privately for a moment?¡±

    Keith froze and sat back down. Once everyone left, Markus looked at a ring on Keith¡¯s finger and sighed. ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been using a Mana Reactor?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yes?¡± Keith nodded. ¡°Zeidrick whipped up a cool weapon for me that uses it.¡±

    Markus scratched his cheek while gazing at Keith. ¡°I know that your Grandma gave permission for you to use it, but are you aware of how valuable they are?¡±

    Keith recalled what Zeidrick said. ¡°Sorta. There¡¯s only ten, right?¡±

    ¡°Correct.¡± Markus folded his arms. ¡°Think about it this way ¨C there are about 2,000 Rifts in our Innate Dimension, and we¡¯ve been harvesting resources from them for five hundred years. Although most of the materials are used up, the military has still steadily accrued a significant stockpile. After millions of hours of labor, we filled hundreds of warehouses full of ore, herbs, and monster parts. But to create those ten Mana Reactors? It consumed 95% of everything we saved up.¡±

    Markus paused and gave Keith a deep look. ¡°Those Mana Reactors are things of miracles. They are the bedrock of our military: secret weapons capable of mass destruction or impenetrable defense. Do you understand?¡±

    Keith listened to everything silently as he gazed at the Pocket Dimension ring he¡¯d worn for several months. From these few hours since meeting Markus, Keith felt like he had a good understanding of his Dad, so he knew what Markus was implying: letting Keith use the Mana Reactor for his personal use was a massive waste and a disrespect to all the people who contributed to its creation.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    When Keith first got the Mana Reactor, he didn¡¯t think much of it, but after hearing how much effort went into making them, Keith suddenly felt deeply ashamed of himself. How could he hog something so important without paying any sort of cost? It didn¡¯t take him more than a moment to come to a decision. Even if he couldn¡¯t use the orbs to farm massive amounts of gold, Keith still took off the Pocket Dimension ring and handed it over to Markus.

    Markus wore a huge grin. ¡°Thank you, Keith. You made the right decision. How about we meet up after dinner to create a training program for you? I won¡¯t be stingy with the rewards.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Keith stood up to leave. ¡°I¡¯m going to go unpack now.¡±

    Over the next few hours, Keith made himself familiar with his new home, sighing multiple times as he did. Without the Mana Reactor to supply Mana, he couldn¡¯t farm massive amounts of gold.

    Now Keith¡¯s only hope was the Mana Battery function his Grimoire offered. Sadly, the price was way too expensive and not something Keith could afford without saving for who knows how many years. However, there was another problem. How was he to gather enough Mana to make use of the function anyway?

    Although Keith set it up so that the Grimoire collected his Mana whenever it was over 90%, it wasn¡¯t nearly enough to consistently fuel the orbs. The rate he could supply Mana was incomparable to the Mana Reactor.

    But what if there was another way?

    A few months ago Keith researched Mana and learned a great many things. Something almost every industry used was Mana Arrays ¨C a complicated inscription that passively gathered Mana from the air. Keith had a crazy idea. What if he collected a Mana array? Would his Grimoire passively accrue Mana or would it simply turn into an item with CV? It was an answer worth finding out.

    Since it was still around an hour or so before dinner, Keith went to find one of the servants under his Grandma. To his delight, they accepted his request and completed it within fifteen minutes, although it left him completely broke. Now, in the front yard of Keith¡¯s new home was a freshly created Mana Gathering Array. Before attempting to collect it, Keith took a glance at its information.

    [Legendary] Mana Gathering Array

    Description: Passively gathers 500 Mana a minute and stores up to 100,000 Mana.

    Mana Currently Stored: 0/100,000

    Durability: 100%

    Amazingly, the array gathered Mana hundreds of times faster than Keith¡¯s natural regeneration, making it well worth the price. For reference, a Mythic Mana Gathering Array gathered 1,000 Mana a minute, while an Epic grade gathered 250, and a Rare 100.

    Now it was time for the moment of truth. Keith took a deep breath and focused on the array, and said, ¡°Collect.¡±

    There was a familiar flash of light, and then the array was gone. Delighted, Keith quickly opened his Grimoire interface and noticed a new section underneath the Mana bar in the energy tab.

    ¡°It worked!¡± Keith exclaimed when he found that the Mana box was generating Mana every minute. With the experiment a great success, many plans began to form in Keith¡¯s mind. For the first time, he wondered if he was too hung up on making the orbs work. Nothing was stopping him from casting skills himself, especially now that he could effectively have a bank to withdraw Mana from.

    Better yet, if he did it that way, he no longer needed to spend an absurd amount of money withdrawing experience from the Grimoire and could just collect it from monsters normally. Then, Keith could use the freed-up funds to withdraw Mana. Additionally, that meant he could finally level up his skills, allowing him to fight higher-level monsters.

    The more Keith thought about it, the more excited he became.

    Interestingly, he didn¡¯t realize that the reason he wanted the orbs in the first place was to avoid confronting monsters himself. But after killing so many monsters, what happened with Cami, and meeting Rhea, he no longer considered it a problem.

    He was slowly but surely maturing.

 Collect The World - Chapter 40

    Chapter 40

    Dinner once again gave Keith a few stat points. According to Yara, Keith should expect to gain around a thousand stat points over the next year. With a cooking skill over level 400 and the best ingredients the Innate Dimension could offer, that was the limit before the body grew resistant.

    In any case, Keith was stunned that he could gain so many stats for free. Adding all his current stats together amounted to a little over one thousand, so to hear a grandmaster chef could double that was incredibly impressive.

    Besides food, another sure-fire way to gain stats was to take a medicinal bath. Through countless research and experiments, alchemists developed a formula that combined various herbs which the body would absorb through a medium, that being water. There were all sorts of medicinal baths ¨C some would make you highly resistant to the fire element, while others would grant a significant amount of Health. There were all sorts of methods to increase your power as long as you could afford it and had the necessary connections.

    After dinner, Markus was very enthusiastic about bringing Keith over to his mansion. Along the way, Markus preached, ¡°A training program develops your delayed gratification and builds good habits. When taking on a complicated project, it''s best to break it down into manageable pieces¡ªdoing it that way alleviates stress. The best part is the rush you get whenever you complete one of your goals.¡±

    Keith listened as Markus droned on and on, sounding like one of those motivational speakers. Upon entering Markus¡¯s office, he asked Keith, ¡°By the way, why do you need money?¡±

    ¡°My innate ability requires all sorts of items to develop,¡± Keith replied. ¡°It¡¯s a gold sink.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡± Markus grew thoughtful as he walked up to a whiteboard with a list written on it. ¡°Look here. I brainstormed a bit and wrote down some missions for you. What do you think?¡±

    To be honest, Keith was only accompanying his Dad to humor him and didn¡¯t think anything about the rewards. That was why reading the first mission and its corresponding reward left him speechless.

    Mission 1: Create a legacy skill. Reward: 100 million gold

    All the money Keith earned over the past few months, all his hours of labor, didn¡¯t amount to more than five million gold. Yet by creating a legacy skill, Markus would reward him with one hundred million gold. Was something wrong with Markus¡¯s head?

    Keith turned to his Dad and pointed at the first mission with a shaky finger. ¡°Are you sure giving me that much gold is okay?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Markus nodded matter-of-factly. ¡°To create a legacy skill requires deep insight into skills and how they work. Accomplishing this is no simple matter.¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Then what about this one?¡± Keith pointed at the second mission, full of doubt.

    Mission 2: Undergo two weeks of mana-stimulated nerve therapy. Reward: 5 million gold

    Markus¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°You¡¯ll gain almost complete control over your muscles after the treatment, though it¡¯s pretty painful. If you can bear through the pain, I highly recommend it. Afterward, you can make all sorts of funny faces, see?¡±

    All the tiny muscles on Markus¡¯s face squirmed to create several strange expressions. Keith forced a laugh. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it be more like the treatment increases your combat ability?¡±

    ¡°It does that too,¡± Markus shrugged. ¡°Increased muscle control gives you higher awareness of your body, thus allowing you to train some skills faster.¡±

    ¡°But why is the reward five million gold?¡± Keith focused back on the core issue.

    Markus frowned. ¡°I knew it was too little. How about 10 million gold, then?¡±

    ¡°No, no, five million is good enough,¡± Keith quickly refuted as he came to a realization. Five million gold for Keith was a vast sum, but it was merely chump change to Markus. Markus¡¯s lifestyle was just too high-class. Keith couldn¡¯t compete.

    On second thought, why was Keith trying to sabotage himself? If Markus wanted to give Keith five million gold or a hundred million gold, what reason was there for him to decline?

    The whiteboard had a little over 20 missions, with some appealing to Keith more than others. A few required a lot of effort. For example, the most difficult one was a mission that rewarded 50 million gold if Keith went through three months of wilderness survival training. An easier one was to learn from a close-combat military instructor for two weeks.

    Keith noticed that each mission guided him to become stronger in one aspect or another. After Keith had a good look at the whiteboard, Markus spoke up, ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Keith turned to his dad with a grin. ¡°I¡¯m getting excited, though I¡¯m wondering how I¡¯m gonna find teachers for a lot of these.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I¡¯ve got you covered,¡± Markus responded with a dismissive wave of his hand. ¡°Just tell me what mission you pick, and I¡¯ll set up everything else.¡±

    Keith glanced back to the whiteboard and gave it another look before deciding, ¡°I¡¯ll start with mission 2, the nerve therapy one.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Markus¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Why¡¯d you pick that one?¡±

    Keith shrugged. ¡°The body is the core behind everything we do. If I can gain complete control over my muscles, then all the other missions will become a bit easier.¡±

    ¡°Smart.¡± Markus nodded. ¡°What¡¯s your schedule look like? Each nerve therapy session takes two hours, and you¡¯ll need to go in five days a week.¡±

    Keith thought for a moment. ¡°Anytime around noon will do.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll have my secretary set it up. What¡¯s your magic tablet number?¡± Markus asked as he withdrew the device.

    After exchanging contact information, Keith talked about various topics with his Dad for a bit before heading home. By now, the sun had fallen, with the moon clear to see. The plants and trees between Yara, Markus, and Keith¡¯s mansions glowed underneath the moonlight, while frogs hidden on the mountain croaked one after another.

    ¡°So this is my new home, huh?¡± Keith stopped, looked up at the moon, and took in a breath of fresh air. It turned out he was worried over nothing. Meeting his dad and grandmother went much smoother than he expected.

    The only worry was Yara¡¯s story, which still sounded surreal. Yara¡¯s main body and the other dimensions sounded like insurmountable foes, causing Keith to grow more anxious the more he thought about it.

    In the end, he shelved the matter after realizing Yara surely had plans in place. People like Markus would hold up the sky, so Keith needed to focus on increasing his power. Thankfully, Markus paved a gold-brick road for Keith to follow. All Keith needed to do was put in the effort.

 Collect The World - Chapter 41

    Chapter 41

    Only one person in the Innate Dimension had the necessary skillset to stimulate a person¡¯s nerves ¨C Ersa, an older woman with an innate gift related to muscles. She spent the first half of her life working as a masseuse when she came up with a technique that combined her innate gift with a lightning skill.

    The military was always on the lookout for special individuals, so when they learned someone could easily raise a person¡¯s control over their body, they reached out and paid a vast sum for the exclusive right to their services. Forty years have passed since then, yet the number of people lining up for the procedure was longer than ever.

    When Markus slipped Keith into Ersa¡¯s busy schedule, Keith underwent two hours of electrifying therapy a day. While painful, the results spoke for themselves. After each appointment, Keith found that his control over his body skyrocketed. It was almost at the level of controlling each muscle fiber individually.

    Over the following two weeks, Keith found everything to be less strenuous. From simple day-to-day actions to working out, it all took less effort. Most noticeably, when Keith trained in his Void Shadowstep skill, he found that he made a lot of unnecessary actions. By cutting back on wasteful moves, the skill gained level after level and eventually passed level 300, allowing Keith to phase through physical as well as magical attacks.

    Filled with more motivation than ever, Keith decided to go all-in and learned the over two hundred skills he previously used with his orbs. Honestly, trying to level so many skills at once was too inefficient, so Keith selected a few core skills to focus on.

    After numerous considerations, he decided on Mana Bolt, Mana Shield, Chain Lightning, Yggdrasil¡¯s Grasp, and Wraith¡¯s Cry. Unfortunately, Yggdrasil¡¯s Grasp and Wraith¡¯s Cry took all of Keith¡¯s Mana to cast a single time. He wouldn¡¯t dare to level such costly skills if he couldn¡¯t draw Mana from his Grimoire.

    Now that Keith couldn¡¯t overwhelm level 300 monsters by spamming skills from countless orbs, he needed to fight lower level monsters to raise his skill levels to increase their damage.

    With all of this together, Keith¡¯s schedule looked like this: one hour of working out, two hours of therapy, and eight hours of fighting monsters. At the same time, he¡¯d harvest the Bramblethorne from his farm every three days and sell them to Mr. Ivory for 75,000 gold a batch. After deducting the cost to purchase more seeds, Keith gained around 50,000 gold every three days. Together with Adeiv¡¯s checks, that amounted to almost 1 million gold a month.

    When Keith finished Ersa¡¯s therapy, Markus gave Keith 5 million gold without batting an eye. Following that, Keith took on one mission after another, living his life to its fullest. He got beat up by a martial arts instructor, went through boot camp, learned alchemy under his grandfather, and did various other missions.

    With such a busy lifestyle, the weeks flew by, and three years passed in the blink of an eye.

    ****

    Deep in a restricted area within Fort Hellsing, Yara sat before a command table filled with documents. To her left and right sat various high-ranking officials like Frod and the other leaders of the four families. Contrary to public belief, the first leaders of the four families never passed away and instead have been guiding their descendants from the shadows.

    At this moment, Yara finished flipping through a report detailing the strength of their current forces and gave a satisfied nod to General Rodney. ¡°100,000 have reached level 500, impressive.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Due to the limitations of the Innate Dimension, the number of monsters near level 500 was minuscule, making it hard for people to go beyond level 480. In the Grandsky Realm, people at level 500 were a dime in a dozen and weren¡¯t anything special, so at first glance, the combat force Yara had cultivated wasn¡¯t anything much ¨C but there was a key difference. All 100,000 people at level 500 were geniuses who created their own skills, elites among elites. After pouring endless resources into them, they were the best the Innate Dimension could offer. Their talent was comparable to people level 700+ in the Grandsky Realm. So long as they could survive, they would become a commendable force.

    Yara turned to General Catherine with a furrowed brow. ¡°Has Zeidrick¡¯s skill level reached level 700?¡±

    Before succumbing to Sloth¡¯s curse, Yara¡¯s main body handed Yara a few items from the Grandsky Realm. The most important was a type of item called an inheritance containing a set of crafting skills at the transcendent grade.

    In the Grandsky Realm, there were four grades above Mythic: Ancient, Divine, Celestial, and Transcendent. Unlike how common Mythic items were in the Innate Dimension, Transcendent items were incredibly rare. Only a peak force like Yara¡¯s now destroyed sect could get their hands on a few Transcendent items.

    General Catherine, a heroic young woman with sword-like eyebrows, shook her head. ¡°He said it''s impossible without better materials.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Yara sighed. ¡°I was hoping he could forge Ancient grade equipment for us once the gateway opens, but it seems like I was too hopeful. How close is he?¡±

    ¡°Just over 690,¡± General Catherine replied.

    Yara was relieved. ¡°That¡¯s not too bad. With Zeidrick¡¯s talent, it¡¯ll take a week or two at most to reach level 700 once we get him what he needs.¡±

    A high-ranking official commented, ¡°I¡¯m a little jealous that brat gets to level his skills past 500, unlike the rest of us. My skills have been stuck at level 500 for decades now.¡±

    The official¡¯s remark resonated with everyone in the room. Yara¡¯s tales of the Grandsky Realm left them eager to explore such a vast land, so all of them had been waiting expectantly for the gateway to open. They didn¡¯t find it fair that the Innate Dimensions put shackles on them.

    Yara looked over to a middle-aged man wearing a pair of boxers covered by a bathrobe. Sporting messy hair and an unshaven beard, he looked like someone experiencing a hangover. Since the meeting began, he never looked away from an empty spot on the wall, nor did he blink. This strange man¡¯s name was Frisk ¨C the head scientist of the military and the smartest person in the Innate Dimension.

    Frisk¡¯s innate gift allowed him to simulate anything as long as he had the corresponding knowledge. The more knowledge Frisk accrued, the more he could simulate. For a scientist, that was the best tool they could ask for. While other scientists needed a large budget to create experiments, all he needed was to activate his innate gift and input the necessary parameters to see whether his theory was correct.

    Frisk was the main reason his civilization was so technologically advanced, with the magic tablet, magic network, and mana reactor being just a few of his many inventions. That was why Yara and the other officials didn¡¯t say anything about his attire during this important meeting. Shaking her head, Yara asked, ¡°Frisk, how are things on your end?¡±

    Startled from being called, Frisk turned to Yara and blinked for the first time in over an hour. ¡°Uh, pretty good, I guess.¡±

    ¡°And specifically?¡± Yara asked patiently.

    Frisk shrugged. ¡°The parts to assemble 500 modified magic hub towers are all ready to go, as you requested. It took me working around the clock to make them in time, so a raise would be nice.¡±

    Magic hub towers were relay stations that broadcasted and received certain signals within range and were the foundation behind the magic network. According to Yara¡¯s grand plan, Frisk modified 500 towers from a helpful tool for society to a tool for war.

    ¡°Splendid. You did well.¡± Yara gave a warm smile and tactfully ignored his last comment.

    Frisk raised a hand. ¡°Then can I go now?¡±

    ¡°Fine. I bet you weren¡¯t listening anyway,¡± Yara remarked in annoyance.

    ¡°Haha, you¡¯re so wise!¡± Frisk stood up, spread his bathrobe, and gave a deep bow to the room before taking his leave. The high-ranking officials smiled helplessly before continuing with the meeting.

    Several hours later, Yara returned to her abode and collapsed onto her bed, overcome with exhaustion and anxiety. Her heart paced rapidly in her chest as she started to hyperventilate. Alarmed, Yara sat up and dived into karma, following threads and searching for answers. What she found soothed her nerves. The future was promising.

 Collect The World - Chapter 42

    Chapter 42

    Adventurer University was as bustling as ever. Famed as the number one institution for learning, it guaranteed that all students would possess excellent combat ability, a level over 300, and a wide breadth of knowledge upon graduation. It was a school for the elite, and as such, only the best among the younger generation could enter.

    Upon its creation, Wes Mirion, the headmaster, strategically built the campus between four Rifts suitable for adventurers between levels 100 to 400. Afterward, by using his innate ability, he customized the Rifts so that they would forcibly teleport the students out upon receiving a deathly blow.

    Unknown to the public, Wes Mirion was, in fact, the original leader of a hero family, having lived for centuries. Due to his guidance and love for teaching, over 80% of the Innate Dimension¡¯s current elites grew under his care. An even more secretive fact was that Wes Mirion artificially created the four Rifts surrounding Adventurer University¡¯s campus. Not only could Wes¡¯ innate ability customize rifts, but he could also create them from scratch.

    For that reason, Keith arrived at one of the entrances to Adventurer University, wearing a white cloth shirt under a black leather tunic and a capelet over his shoulders. His expression was bright as a youthful and heroic aura surrounded his being. He was now 21 years old and at the prime of his life.

    Three years ago, Keith resolved to strengthen himself and incorporate all sorts of knowledge. Under the best instructors Markus could find, each mission Keith completed cut away his imperfections, revealing a genius with monstrous talent. From an uncut gem to a sparkling diamond, he grew at an astonishing rate. All the while, his Grimoire grew alongside him.

    Keith acquired around 500 million gold over the past few years thanks to his father¡¯s rewards, the farm, hunting monsters, and Adeiv¡¯s business partnership. Keith invested 100 million in various items to increase his CV and CP, then another 100 million into his farm. After numerous upgrades, Keith¡¯s farm made him 1 million gold a week. Interestingly, he produced so many rare and precious herbs he needed to swap between them every week to ensure the market didn¡¯t crash.

    Thanks to all his hard work, Keith¡¯s current status was incomparable to before.

    [Keith Walker]

    Level: 412

    Age: 21

    Titles: Philantropist, Born With A Golden Spoon, Troublemaker, +10 others

    Health: 63,400/63,400

    Mana: 101,100/101,100

    Strength: 2130

    Agility: 2243

    Intelligence: 4201

    Vitality: 2593

    Endurance: 2612

    Skills: Sensory Link, Mind Enhancement, +245 others

    A third of Keith¡¯s stats came from eating top-grade food, a third from his Grimoire, and the last from levels, training, and other methods. Not only that, Keith¡¯s core skills almost reached level 400 on average, with Void Shadowstep breaking through level 400. All in all, Keith was several hundred times stronger than three years ago.

    Most importantly, Keith still had 300 million gold saved up. If he spent all that to increase his CV and CP, he would likely gain a few thousand extra stats, and the only reason why he didn¡¯t was that there might be a better way to spend his gold. That was why he arrived at Adventurer University ¨C to seek out Wes Mirion.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    With classes in session, the campus was mostly empty. After passing the security checkpoint, Keith took a stroll and admired the scenery. Colorful trees and plants gave the school grounds a fresh look, while the buildings looked modern and new, with a creative design.

    When he got a feel for the school¡¯s atmosphere, Keith made his way to the administrative building and told the receptionist he had an appointment with the headmaster. Once the receptionist confirmed his identity, she led Keith to the elevator, inserted a key, pushed a few buttons, then returned to her desk.

    Taking the elevator up to the top, Keith found that the entire floor was one massive room with glass windows and housed several streams where sparkling fish swam about. Grass made up most of the floor, with only a single cobblestone path winding its way to a desk, where Wes Mirion currently rested on a chair with his eyes closed.

    Looking like a middle-aged man, Wes had pure white hair and a trimmed beard, wearing a simple silk robe embroidered with floral patterns.

    When Keith approached, Wes slowly opened his eyes and scrutinized Keith from head to toe with a smile. ¡°Young man, you¡¯ve certainly changed since the last time we talked.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy,¡± Keith said with a grin as he sat down across from Wes.

    Wes asked curiously, ¡°Is the reason you came here today the same as last time?¡±

    Seeing Keith nod, Wes grew doubtful. ¡°It¡¯s only been a short two years. Knowing your father, he wouldn¡¯t give you handouts, so I find it hard to believe someone your age could come up with the materials worth several hundred million gold.¡±

    ¡°Haha, I¡¯ll be completely broke after today. I¡¯m taking a huge gamble doing this, you know? If my idea fails, then I¡¯ll have wasted two years of resources for nothing.¡± Keith removed a ring from his finger and tossed it to Wes. The ring was an Epic grade Pocket Dimension full of materials needed for Wes to construct a Rift according to Keith¡¯s specifications.

    Wes¡¯ innate gift required numerous materials and a ton of Mana to create a Rift. Different materials caused different monsters to spawn inside the Rift. If Wes wanted an undead Rift, he would need all sorts of bones from various monsters. Due to this, Wes could create all sorts of Rifts, and by extension, the cost varied greatly.

    Two years ago, Keith had a sudden epiphany: what was stopping him from collecting a Rift into his Grimoire? Upon testing his idea, he discovered the System owned all the Rifts, so he didn¡¯t have the necessary authority to collect them. Later, Keith learned about Wes¡¯s innate gift and sought him out. Since then, Keith has been saving his money ever since, and only as of last week did he get all the materials Wes needed.

    Keith hoped that collecting a Rift would unlock another minigame. The farm already gave Keith 1 million gold a week without doing anything, so what would a Rift minigame do? The payoff would make all his efforts worth it, while at the same time, failure would be devastating.

    Wes took the Pocket Dimension ring in hand and inspected its contents. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re going with this type of Rift?¡±

    With five hundred years of development, Wes¡¯ innate gift was quite mature in its growth, so he had considerable influence over what type of Rift he could create. Rifts had all sorts of invisible modifiers that only Wes could interact with. Some had an abundance of herbs, some had monsters that gave greater experience, and others dropped more gold. No two Rifts were the same.

    Based on the materials inside the Pocket Dimension ring, Wes could tell Keith wanted a well-rounded level 400 Rift with a mountainous terrain filled with elemental monsters. Since Keith didn¡¯t know whether his idea would work or not, he didn¡¯t go with anything crazy.

    ¡°Okay, everything looks good,¡± Wes said as he stood up and straightened his robe. ¡°Where do you want it?¡±

    ¡°I found a remote place that should work,¡± Keith responded as he created a portal to an uninhabited field far from civilization. Once on the other side, Wes looked around and nodded before withdrawing all the materials inside the Pocket Dimension. After that, he took out a wand and began carving undecipherable runes both in the air and on the ground.

    Several hours later, an illusory sphere larger than a house and full of strange characters hovered in the air above the field. Sighing in exhaustion, Wes wiped his brow and exclaimed, ¡°Finally done. Now for the last step.¡±

    ¡°Ready for something amazing?¡± Wes gave Keith a grin as the large pile of materials worth 300 million gold melted into liquid before shooting into the sphere, turning it solid. A moment later, the sphere suddenly flew into the sky and expanded rapidly. Mountains, creeks, rocks, dirt, and flowers flashed into existence, covering the vast field in its entirety, accompanied by the trademark dome that represented a Rift. In seconds, what was once an empty piece of land turned into a small mountain range.

    Keith took a few steps back in surprise and shock, his eyes full of wonder and awe during the process. ¡°Awesome, so awesome. That was like an act of god!¡±

    Wes couldn¡¯t hide the pride on his face. ¡°Haha, if you say so.¡±

    It took a few moments of deep breathing for Keith to calm down. Eyes shining, he strode up to the Rift and placed a hand on the barrier before shouting, ¡°Collect!¡±

    Determining authority¡­

    Authority confirmed. The user holds ownership rights of the item intended to be stored.

    With a familiar flash of light, the massive Rift shrunk until it was the size of a palm, then flew into Keith¡¯s grimoire. Overwhelmed with joy, Keith jumped in place. ¡°Success!¡±

 Collect The World - Chapter 43

    Chapter 43

    Wes stared blankly in silence after the Rift vanished. He never expected Keith to store it away like some item. It was a Rift, for crying out loud, not some handheld toy. The thing was as large as a town.

    Looking over at Keith, although Wes knew it was impolite to inquire about another person¡¯s innate gift, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Lad, what are you going to do with the Rift? Don¡¯t go placing it in the middle of a city.¡±

    Just as Wes finished speaking, Keith¡¯s knees buckled underneath him, and he fell backward. Alarmed, Wes reached out and caught Keith before he hit the ground. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Ugh.¡± Keith¡¯s vision spun as all sorts of sensory information overloaded his brain. Red became redder and blue bluer, while his hearing and sense of smell magnified. An overwhelming surge of strength coursed through Keith¡¯s body, so much that he couldn¡¯t control it.

    However, Keith quickly adapted compared to the last time he experienced sensory overload. Only after half a minute passed did he regain the ability to control his body. Wes raised an eyebrow and accurately guessed, ¡°Sensory overload?¡±

    ¡°Mhm. Second time that¡¯s happened,¡± Keith sighed helplessly, still feeling a little panicked.

    ¡°Hah.¡± Wes shook his head. ¡°Many people don¡¯t even experience it once, and yet you¡¯ve already gone through it twice?¡±

    Even though Keith knew what sensory overload was, he still didn¡¯t like the abrupt feeling of powerlessness it gave him. It was similar to getting the wind knocked out of you several times in a row, extremely discomforting.

    Now that the crisis was over, Keith suddenly realized why it happened. Eyes shining, Keith pulled up his Grimoire¡¯s interface and checked his CV and CP before sucking in a mouthful of air.

    Holy slimeballs!

    If Keith saw things right, his CV and CP jumped up by a little over one hundred million, resulting in a massive windfall of stats. Astonished, Keith quickly opened his status and gawked at what he saw.

    [Keith Walker]

    Level: 412

    Age: 21

    Titles: Philantropist, Born With A Golden Spoon, Troublemaker, +10 others

    Health: 63,400/63,400 -> 94,600/94,600

    Mana: 101,100/101,100 -> 138,300/138,300

    Strength: 2130 -> 3192

    Agility: 2243 -> 3211

    Intelligence: 4201 -> 5189

    Vitality: 2593 -> 3562This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Endurance: 2612 -> 3578

    Skills: Sensory Link, Mind Enhancement, +245 others

    Apparently, the System graded Rifts much higher than any other item Keith had collected. Just the stats alone made the 300 million gold investment worth it.

    ¡°Looks like your gamble paid off. How about giving me a bonus for my incredible services?¡± Wes asked in amusement after watching Keith¡¯s expression change continuously.

    Keith laughed awkwardly. ¡°Uh, I have nothing to tip you with, sorry.¡±

    ¡°Haha, I¡¯m just messing with you.¡± Wes suddenly turned stern. ¡°Seriously though, don¡¯t withdraw that Rift anywhere you please.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not planning on taking it out,¡± Keith replied, much to Wes¡¯s relief. Little did Wes know, it would cost over a hundred million gold to withdraw the Rift from Keith¡¯s Grimoire. Doing so would be a colossal waste of money.

    Wes looked at the sun and gave a satisfied nod. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m glad everything worked out. I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±

    Keith watched as Wes teleported away before opening his Grimoire¡¯s function shop. Low and behold, a new function called Rift Simulator appeared, costing 150 million CP, far more than the farm did. Thankfully, Keith had enough CP with some to spare. Without hesitating in the slightest, Keith purchased the new function, spending two years'' worth of CP in one go.

    Imagination running wild, Keith went to the minigame tab and saw a new box labeled ¡®Rift Simulator.¡¯ At this point, Keith was so excited he had to stop and calm down. Two years of hoping led to this moment, and now that it was happening, his emotions were overflowing.

    After Keith took a breather, he opened the Rift Simulator and spent the next few minutes going over its rules and functions. What Keith learned unnerved him to no end, and he couldn¡¯t help but wonder how something like this could exist.

    To summarize the essence of the Rift Simulator minigame, Keith could passively gain resources, gold, and experience from a Rift he collected. It was like a clone with Keith¡¯s equipment, stats, and skills fought in his place. The acquisition rate of the items and experience depended on Keith¡¯s combat power. However, this didn¡¯t come without any cost. Keith would need to make sure his Grimoire had enough Health and Mana stored to fuel the clone fighting for him.

    What this meant was, as long as Keith had enough Health and Mana stocked up, a clone with his strength could farm monster drops, gold, and experience for him 24/7. To make things even better, the Rift Keith collected was level 400, so the passive income would be mindboggling.

    Thankfully, Keith always had a few Mana Arrays generating Mana in his Grimoire over the past few years. Every time their durability ran out, he purchased a new one, so he had plenty of Mana to spare. The only problem was his Health reserves. There was no Mana Array equivalent for Health, so Keith could only slowly accrue Health by collecting the surplus from his natural regeneration.

    After some quick calculations, Keith determined he had enough Health and Mana to run the Rift Simulator for two weeks. If Health wasn¡¯t a factor, he had enough Mana for a year. That result left Keith distressed. Not having the Rift Simulator up and running meant Keith would lose out on a tremendous amount of resources and experience, making him uncomfortable.

    The question was: how could Keith generate enough Health to maintain the Rift Simulator¡¯s consumption?

    Once Keith returned home, he spent a few hours browsing through the magic network, searching for solutions. Among the many answers, you could raise your Vitality stat, level up certain skills, or rely on some Health-focused equipment.

    Unfortunately, none of these methods worked for Keith. Skills focused on regenerating Health took a long time to level up, while Health-focused equipment was incredibly expensive. The only surefire way to generate Health was to find someone with an innate gift based around healing, but people with those were one in a million.

    Wait a minute.

    Keith suddenly realized he knew one such person, his very own sister, Elora. All it took was a few swings from her spiked club to heal someone to full Health. The only downside was the incredible pain felt by the victim, ahem, recipient of Elora¡¯s love. Keith shuddered at the thought.

    Now, one question remained: should he ask for her assistance and descend into hell? What awaited was endless loot, gold, and experience¨C he just needed to bear a little pain, a small price to pay.

    Keith could handle that.

 Collect The World - Chapter 44

    Chapter 44

    Annallee and Elora had already fought monsters multiple times a week before listening to Yara¡¯s story. Afterward, Annallee decided to enter a military academy and had spent the last three years undergoing comprehensive training. As for Elora, she joined a top-tier adventurer party named Silver Fox. Even though Elora was lacking in many ways, Silver Fox went through great lengths to groom Elora into a capable adventurer, all because she could heal.

    Keith rarely saw his sisters ever since Annallee started living on campus and Elora moved out, though they still kept in touch over the magic network and met up once in a while when they could.

    Elora¡¯s schedule varied depending on Silver Fox¡¯s activities, so Keith could only send a message and hope for the best. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t need to wait too long. Elora sent a reply a few days later, agreeing to his request with plenty of emojis. Obviously, she was more than happy to inflict some pain.

    Keith sent a follow-up message. ¡°Where should we meet up?¡±

    ¡°Any random spot in the wild will do,¡± Elora answered.

    Bewildered, Keith asked, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t my place work?¡±

    Elora sent a laughing emoji followed by a scary sentence, ¡°There will be too much blood.¡±

    Keith broke out into a cold sweat and didn¡¯t have the guts to continue the conversation. The next day, the siblings met at a designated location before riding flying mounts into the wilderness. Upon finding a secluded spot, Keith took a deep breath, took off his shirt, sat down, and bit onto a piece of thick rope.

    After mentally preparing himself, Keith looked up and saw Elora holding a spiked club oozing deadly poison. When he saw a few drops of liquid fall off the club and instantly create holes in the ground accompanied by an ominous sizzling sound, he started getting nervous.

    Elora chuckled when she saw Keith¡¯s expression and explained, ¡°I discovered that status effects like poison and bleeding cause healing over time when I use them, so I learned a bunch of skills that boost their potency. The only side effect is that a little too much blood comes out, hehe.¡±

    ¡°Um, how much is a little?¡± Keith shivered.

    Elora stuck her tongue out. ¡°Don¡¯t worry ¨C I¡¯ll pull you out if you start to drown.¡±

    Before Keith could process what he heard, Elora slammed her club into Keith¡¯s back and raked it across his skin. Keith¡¯s vision flashed white as the spikes lacerated his flesh and muscles, turning it into a garbled mess. Thanks to Elora¡¯s skills, a massive amount of blood spewed out from Keith¡¯s back and dyed the ground red.

    ¡°Agh!¡± Keith released a muffled scream as he bit down on the rope in his mouth. The pain was so intense it was the only thing he could think about. Keith¡¯s mental fortitude was like a child trying to hold back a tsunami, and he could only endure for a few moments before collapsing unconscious.

    ¡°Tch,¡± Elora clicked her tongue in disappointment. ¡°Nobody lasts more than a single blow.¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Even though Keith fell unconscious, Elora didn¡¯t stop wailing on his back with her spiked club, dragging it this way and that. All the while, blood sprayed out of Keith¡¯s back like a water geyser. Bizarrely, the quantity of blood soaking the ground was already beyond how much blood Keith¡¯s body stored by at least ten times, and the disparity only grew as time passed. If a third party came across this scene, all they¡¯d see would be a blood-soaked demon hacking away at a corpse.

    Time passed.

    Keith found himself facing the sky when he woke up. Startled, he sat up and subconsciously reached for his back when an intense metallic smell assaulted his nose. That was when he saw a giant pond of blood at the bottom of the hill he sat on. Keith couldn¡¯t believe it. All that blood came from him?

    ¡°Finally awake?¡± Elora looked up from her magic tablet. She had been lying on the ground next to Keith, waiting for him to recover. After pummeling Keith¡¯s back for a good hour, she carried him over to a nearby hill before using a Cleanliness Ring to remove the blood on their bodies.

    Keith covered his nose and asked, ¡°How long did I last?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± Elora found it hilarious. ¡°About three seconds.¡±

    Keith could only recall that it was very painful, but not by how much. Sighing, he remarked, ¡°Why does your innate gift have to magnify pain?¡±

    Elora shrugged. ¡°The System loves balance. The hit that knocked you out restored your Health by at least 200,000, if you include the damage over time effects. Say, I¡¯m curious how much Health in total I healed you for, do you happen to know?¡±

    Keith set it so that his Grimoire automatically collected any Health that went over his maximum. Earlier, Keith gave a vague explanation for why he needed Elora¡¯s help, which was why she didn¡¯t stop attacking when Keith fell unconscious. Now that Elora brought it up, Keith was curious how much his Grimoire collected. Pulling up his Grimoire¡¯s interface, he went to the Energy tab and widened his eyes in shock when he saw the value.

    340,145,000.

    Stunned, Keith turned to his sister and exclaimed, ¡°You healed almost 350 million Health!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Elora thought she misheard. ¡°I only worked for about an hour. How could it be so much?¡±

    ¡°Awesome, Sis. You might be one of the best healers in the Innate Dimension!¡± Keith was amazed, though he couldn¡¯t help but think only a special type of person would want her to heal them.

    Keith quickly opened the Rift Simulator minigame and saw he now had enough Health to last him several years with his current setup. Unfortunately, Keith couldn¡¯t withdraw Health like he could Mana. The System didn¡¯t even give him the option, and for a good reason. Keith would be immortal otherwise.

    ¡°I hope whatever I did was enough. Healing for so long without anything exciting happening got boring fast,¡± Elora commented.

    Keith laughed. ¡°Yes, more than enough. I won¡¯t need your help again for a year at least. I owe you one.¡±

    Elora stood up and wiped the grass off her pants. ¡°Wanna grab dinner before we separate? I know a good burger joint.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Keith said and jumped to his feet. He glanced at the massive pool of blood before stepping through the portal Elora summoned. After their meal, Keith returned home and looked over today¡¯s gains from the Rift Simulator.

    Without doing anything, Keith gained a sizable portion of experience towards his next level, along with plenty of gold and loot. It was very satisfying. Better yet, the Rift Simulator would continue to run overnight. The thought of gaining experience and loot while he slept left Keith very pleased with himself.

    Honestly, the emergence of the Rift Simulator could easily give rise to a lazy mindset. After all, Keith could level to 500 passively without so much as leaving his home. He might''ve done just that if there wasn¡¯t the threat of the Grandsky Realm looming in the background.

    As things stood, Keith needed to treat the Rift Simulator as a bonus to progressing his strength and not the core reason. He still needed to put in the same work and effort he¡¯d put in over the last few years.

    Thinking of the past reminded Keith of Rhea. Lately, he¡¯d been thinking about how much he truly progressed. And the best way to figure that out was to challenge her to a friendly duel. Three years ago, Rhea was an insurmountable wall. After three years of effort, had Keith managed to shorten the gap between them?

    It was time to find out.

 Collect The World - Chapter 45

    Chapter 45

    The so-called ¡®barbarians¡¯ were nomadic people that relied solely on their own skills to live. Ska¡¯dur was the one who started the movement centuries ago. After so many years, the movement had grown to a few hundred people.

    Life as a barbarian was difficult.

    At the start, you lacked knowledge of many things and had meager skill levels, resulting in a low quality of life. Your food, clothing, equipment, tools, and other things were the worst they could be. If you persisted, this problem would slowly disappear as your skill levels grew, but most people gave up before they reached that point.

    Barring a few extreme barbarians who lived as hermits, all barbarians traveled around the Innate Dimension as a group. Generally, they camped outside Rifts for 2-3 weeks before moving on, making it hard to know their current location. Thankfully, Ska¡¯dur was a figure of paramount importance, so the military kept tabs on his movements.

    When Keith asked his Dad for help, Markus found it interesting and decided to tag along. As Markus had explored most of the Innate Dimension, he simply opened a portal to the location closest to the tribe.

    Once Keith stepped through the portal, he found himself deep in the wilderness. There were no signs of human civilization for as far as the eye could see. Grass grew up to his waist as foliage blocked his path in every direction while the buzzing of bugs and calls of various critters filled the air.

    As Keith tried to figure out where he was, Markus summoned a griffin large enough to carry three people and said, ¡°Hop on.¡±

    A moment later, the griffin soared into the sky with a mighty flap of its wings. Shortly after, Keith spotted a large camp next to a Rift¡¯s barrier. The buildings ranged from crude wooden huts to well-made cobblestone lodgings. From this, Keith saw the difference between the barbarian¡¯s skill levels.

    Markus controlled the griffin to land outside the camp before unsummoning it. As they approached, Keith noticed the tribe had cleared out the surrounding land to plant crops. There were even a few pens housing animals like pigs and chickens. Interestingly, someone had paved the campground with cobblestone. All in all, the camp wasn¡¯t as primitive as Keith thought. Everything was nice and orderly.

    When they entered the camp, Keith observed that no one cared about their arrival. From young teenagers to the elderly, they were all engrossed in their work. One boy tried to improve his tailoring skill by weaving clothes while a middle-aged woman hammered away at a metal bar on an anvil. No matter who Keith saw, they were all focused on a task. Nobody was slacking off and was trying to make the most of their time.

    Markus gave Keith an amused glance. ¡°They¡¯re hardcore, huh?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty impressive,¡± Keith nodded as he looked around. ¡°I couldn¡¯t do it.¡±

    Markus remarked, ¡°It¡¯s easier if you¡¯re raised like this. I tried living with them when I was around your age and couldn¡¯t last more than a few months before craving the city life.¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Hmph.¡± A gruff voice came from the side. ¡°A few months, you say? I recall you quit after only a few weeks.¡±

    Markus¡¯ face lit up as he turned and saw Ska¡¯dur walking over. ¡°Haha, why fuss about the small details, old friend?¡±

    Ska¡¯dur¡¯s eyes narrowed as he suddenly withdrew a metal table and two seats from his inventory before giving Markus a provocative smile.

    ¡°Same as always, huh?¡± Markus grinned as he sat down across from Ska¡¯dur. The two stared at each other as they got into position for an arm wrestle. After a few seconds with no movement, their muscles abruptly tightened simultaneously. Caught unprepared, a shockwave knocked the observing Keith back a few steps as the ground cracked in every direction, resembling a spider¡¯s web.

    Ska¡¯dur felt extremely depressed when he saw he couldn¡¯t beat Markus after using 80% of his strength. Every time they saw each other, Markus grew stronger while Ska¡¯dur stayed the same. Fifty years ago, Ska¡¯dur only needed to use 20% of his strength to win. Twenty years ago, 50%. Ten years ago, 70%.

    It had been over two centuries since the last time Ska¡¯dur made a noticeable improvement in his stats and skills. It wasn¡¯t that Ska¡¯dur felt jealous that a person centuries younger than him almost caught up in strength. What made him depressed was seeing Markus grow year after year while he remained the same.

    The truth was the Innate Dimension could only offer so much, and Ska¡¯dur had exhausted all means of growth available to him. That was why he started living as a barbarian. Since he couldn¡¯t improve his combat skills, he might as well spend time learning trade skills.

    Ska¡¯dur thought of these things as he increased his power output to 85%. Only then did he push Markus¡¯s hand against the table and win. Markus didn¡¯t feel sad over his defeat as he stood up and smiled, ¡°Satisfied?¡±

    ¡°Mhm.¡± Ska¡¯dur put away the table and chairs, then glanced at Keith as he asked Markus. ¡°What are you here for? I thought you¡¯d be busy running all over the place preparing for the grand event.¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t wrong,¡± Markus said and gestured for Keith to come over. ¡°You¡¯ve met my son, Keith, right?¡±

    Ska¡¯dur stared at Keith briefly before nodding. ¡°Runt, I see you¡¯ve been working hard.¡±

    ¡°U-uh, yessir.¡± Keith felt a little anxious when standing before the eight-foot-tall man. He needed to crane his neck up just to make eye contact.

    ¡°So?¡± Ska¡¯dur glanced back at Markus.

    Keith gulped before saying, ¡°Sir, I was wondering if I could duel Rhea.¡±

    ¡°Hm?!¡± Ska¡¯dur suddenly glared at Keith with a hostile expression, much to Keith¡¯s confusion. ¡°You think you¡¯re good enough for my little angel because you¡¯re a little handsome? Scram, you aren¡¯t qualified!¡±

    ¡°Uh.¡± Keith froze from the unexpected response. Why did Ska¡¯dur suddenly look at him like they were mortal enemies?

    Markus clutched his stomach as he stifled a laugh. ¡°I think there¡¯s been a misunderstanding¡­.¡±

    After listening to the reason why Keith wanted to duel Rhea, Ska¡¯dur calmed down and released a sigh of relief. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s why. I thought you were after my little angel¡¯s heart.¡±

    ¡°Why would wanting to duel someone mean I¡¯m trying to date them?¡± Keith was utterly confused. Was this some tradition in the barbarian community he wasn¡¯t aware of?

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Ska¡¯dur spat a fat piece of phlegm on the ground. ¡°My little angel is so outstanding some so-called geniuses fell in love with her. Rhea got pretty fed up with their advances and set up a rule that anyone who could beat her in a duel would become her boyfriend. None of those ¡®geniuses¡¯ have beaten her since. Before my little angle, they¡¯re just a bunch of trash.¡±

    Markus and Keith glanced at each other. Both were amused to learn Ska¡¯dur was THAT type of parent.

    Ska¡¯dur looked at the sky and calculated the time. ¡°Rhea should return from the Rift soon. Why don¡¯t I cook up some ribs in the meantime?¡±

    Markus¡¯s expression brightened. ¡°Do you still have that special sauce?¡±

    ¡°The spicy one?¡± Ska¡¯dur nodded. ¡°I should have some in storage.¡±

    Markus licked his lips in anticipation as he and Keith followed Ska¡¯dur into his self-made home.

 Collect The World - Chapter 46

    Chapter 46

    Ska¡¯dur¡¯s home looked like a master carpenter made it. Made from cut stone and wood, the structure¡¯s design didn¡¯t lose out to those in the city. While a little small, all the rooms were properly furnished. Rugs, comfy sofas, decorations; Ska¡¯dur¡¯s home had everything a normal house had. The difference was he made them all himself.

    While Ska¡¯dur began cooking in the kitchen, Keith was awed at how masterful the paintings hanging on the walls were. He didn¡¯t expect the imposing Ska¡¯dur to have such a delicate side to him. Was there anything he wasn¡¯t proficient in?

    Markus saw Keith observing a particular painting and asked, ¡°Do you recognize her?¡±

    The painting Keith was looking at portrayed an epic battle between a middle-aged woman and a lanky demon. The woman had manifested a gigantic apparition, her every move smashing mountains and carving ravines in the earth, while the demon employed various sinister magics.

    Keith nodded with a solemn expression. ¡°Is this what happened 500 years ago?¡±

    ¡°It should be.¡± Markus took a deep breath. ¡°At the time, Ska¡¯dur was the strongest person in the Innate Dimension, yet he could only observe the cataclysmic battle from afar in fear of losing his life.¡±

    ¡°It feels so surreal, like it has nothing to do with me.¡± Keith shook his head.

    ¡°I feel the same.¡±

    The two fell silent as they thought about various things. Shortly after, a certain aroma spread over, catching the father and son¡¯s attention. They walked over to the kitchen and found Ska¡¯dur glazing a freshly cooked set of ribs that practically screamed ¡®eat me!¡¯. As Ska¡¯dur put on the finishing touches, he asked Keith without looking up, ¡°Brat, I have water, apple juice, orange juice, and tea. What do you want?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take apple juice, please,¡± Keith replied.

    Markus felt an ominous premonition when he saw Ska¡¯dur not ask him anything. ¡°What about me?¡±

    ¡°You?¡± Ska¡¯dur looked up with a grin. ¡°You can test my latest batch of wine.¡±

    Markus gave a bitter smile. ¡°You¡¯re still working on that?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t give up easily. It takes a lot of time to ferment a single batch. Unlike other brewmasters who can collaborate, I need to experiment independently, so progress is slow,¡± Ska¡¯dur shook his head.

    A few moments later, they sat around the dinner table and began to eat. Ska¡¯dur watched as Markus took a sip of wine. ¡°How is it?¡±

    Markus was pleasantly surprised. ¡°It¡¯s not bad. You¡¯ve improved.¡±

    Keith, growing interested, decided to have a taste and promptly gagged. ¡°How can you guys drink this stuff?¡±

    Ska¡¯dur sneered as Keith rubbed a napkin against his tongue. ¡°You¡¯ll understand when you get older, brat.¡±

    After finishing the ribs, Markus and Ska¡¯dur brought each other up to speed with their recent activities, leaving Keith sitting there like a third wheel. A while later, Ska¡¯dur suddenly announced. ¡°Rhea¡¯s back.¡±Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°How can you tell?¡± Keith asked curiously. He hadn¡¯t sensed anything.

    Ska¡¯dur pointed to his ear and said proudly, ¡°By her gait.¡±

    Keith gave Ska¡¯dur a strange look.

    ¡°What¡¯s with that expression?¡± Ska¡¯dur¡¯s eyes widened, speechless.

    ¡°I just realized something,¡± Keith glanced at his Dad and shook his head. ¡°With your stats, I bet you guys hear all sorts of things, huh?¡±

    Markus choked on his drink as Keith continued, ¡°Apparently, I need to buy a soundproof array for my room.¡±

    Ska¡¯dur¡¯s face turned red, whether from embarrassment or anger. ¡°Brat, you think I use my hearing for those indecent things? It¡¯s for combat. Combat!¡±

    ¡°Ahem,¡± Markus coughed onto his fist. ¡°That¡¯s right. Trying to spy on people with your natural senses is something only ingrates would do.¡±

    Seeing how hard they were defending themselves, Keith simply rolled his eyes. ¡°Calm down, alright? I believe you.¡±

    Although Keith said so, anyone could tell he didn¡¯t trust them in the slightest. Infuriated, Ska¡¯dur stood up and snickered, ¡°Come, come, let¡¯s go outside. I can¡¯t wait for my little angel to kick your ass.¡±

    Ska¡¯dur turned and strolled out the front door without waiting for a response, yelling, ¡°Rhea! Rhea, where are you?! You have another challenger!¡±

    At first, Keith was laughing his heart out, but he leaped to his feet when he heard what Ska¡¯dur said. He rushed out the door with a pale face, immediately regretting poking fun at Ska¡¯dur. Keith was here to have a proper duel, not to win Rhea¡¯s heart. For Ska¡¯dur to misconstrue Keith¡¯s intentions, how could he be so petty?

    Unfortunately, it was too late, as the next thing Keith heard was a charming young woman¡¯s voice holler, ¡°Slimeballs, another one? Where¡¯s he at? Let me punch his face in!¡±

    When Keith exited Ska¡¯dur¡¯s house, he saw Rhea walking over while crunching her knuckles with a fierce expression. At first glance, she was much more mature compared to three years ago. While her muscles were more pronounced and defined, she retained a woman¡¯s charm. It was no wonder countless young men came to gain her affection.

    ¡°It¡¯s you?¡± Rhea froze when she recognized Keith. ¡°You¡¯re here to challenge me?¡±

    Keith was profoundly embarrassed as he gave a small wave. He didn¡¯t forget to glare at Ska¡¯dur as he said, ¡°Hi, it¡¯s been a while. Don¡¯t listen to your Dad. He¡¯s speaking nonsense.¡±

    Rhea relaxed upon hearing that. ¡°So, what¡¯s the occasion? Are you here to become a wanderer?¡±

    ¡°Uh, no,¡± Keith quickly declined, much to Rhea¡¯s disappointment. He took a deep breath before explaining, ¡°Do you remember when we met? You might not have had much of an impression of me, but meeting you challenged my way of life. We were the same age, but you had already accomplished so much. It left me deeply ashamed of myself. After that day, I strove hard to experience many things and improve myself with you as my goal.¡±

    For some reason, Rhea¡¯s eyes practically glowed. ¡°So I¡¯m your role model?¡±

    Keith nodded. At this point, he avoided Rhea¡¯s gaze as he continued, ¡°Lately, I¡¯ve been wondering how I compare to you. If I closed the gap by just a little, it meant all my hard work wasn¡¯t for nothing.¡±

    Keith¡¯s heart was pounding so hard he felt faint. Why did it sound like he was confessing to his crush? Whatever. He already said what he needed to say.

    Unexpectedly, Rhea beamed with joy as she walked up to Keith and patted his shoulder. ¡°I understand. I can¡¯t let you down as your role model, now can I? However, don¡¯t think I¡¯ll go easy on you.¡±

    Keith met Rhea¡¯s gaze and smiled. ¡°Go all out. I want to see the gap between us.¡±

    Markus and Ska¡¯dur stood side-by-side, watching their children walk away from the tribe to find a good place to spar. Ska¡¯durs folded his arms and sighed, ¡°That brat¡¯s temperament is extraordinary. He isn¡¯t afraid of showing others his weaknesses. Rather, he embraces them.¡±

    Markus grinned proudly. ¡°That means a lot coming from you.¡±

    ¡°Whatever.¡± Ska¡¯dur rolled his eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go watch him get his ass kicked.¡±

    Markus offered no comment as they took to the skies without relying on a flying mount.

    A few minutes later, Rhea and Keith stood across from each other on a cleared piece of land. One was the daughter of the Innate Dimension¡¯s publically strongest individual, while the other was the grandson of Yara, a top figure even in the Grandsky Realm.

    Rhea had been training since a young age, while Keith only recently started to take things seriously. Keith desperately wanted to find how wide the gap between them was.

 Collect The World - Chapter 47

    Chapter 47

    Rhea and Keith stood some fifty feet away from each other as Keith said, ¡°System, I challenge Rhea to a duel. The one who reaches 40% Health first loses.¡±

    Dueling was a common practice, and the 40% Health threshold was the standard people used. The System prevented any killing blows during a duel, allowing both parties to go all out.

    When Rhea accepted the challenge on her interface, the air around Keith seemed to solidify as his carefree attitude vanished. His posture shifted ever so slightly as he adjusted his mental state. Wearing a solemn expression, he stated, ¡°Battle mage.¡±

    Rhea¡¯s instincts warned Keith posed a lethal threat, surprising her. It was hard to believe that the weak teenager she met a few years ago could now force her to take him seriously. Rhea could very well imagine how much effort Keith put in to reach this level based on her own experiences. It seemed the duel wouldn¡¯t be as easy as she thought.

    Rhea steadied her breathing as she replied, ¡°Monster tamer. Don¡¯t underestimate my pets.¡±

    Keith nodded as the countdown timer began to tick, leaving them ten seconds to prepare. The first thing Keith did was activate two skills: Mind Division and Mind Enhancement. Both skills were the linchpin behind his fighting style and were now a little over level 400.

    Next, he activated Mana Barrier and used half of his divided minds to employ the skill application he learned from Yara. The freshly summoned Mana Barrier split into countless scales the size of a fingernail before sticking to Keith¡¯s skin, making him look like a dragon knight.

    Yara named this skill application ¡®Dragon Regalia.¡¯ By manipulating Mana Barrier in such a way, the defensive properties of the skill skyrocketed. The downside was that it had high requirements on a person¡¯s mind. Keith needed to focus half of his divided minds on it just to sustain the transformation, and he could only do so for a few minutes before getting a massive headache.

    Lastly, Keith drained all his mana and cast over ten buffs on himself, though his Grimoire promptly pumped him back to full after paying a considerable fee. It only took him a few seconds to get into a combat-ready state from start to finish.

    Rhea used a similar amount of time.

    The first thing she did was summon two monster pets. The monster to Rhea¡¯s right was a Legendary Rift Boss Grade Lizardkin Chieftain wearing leather armor and a pair of daggers. To her left was a blue jellyfish that floated in the air, with its size being even larger than Ska¡¯dur. It was an Epic Grade monster called the Spellbane Jellyfish.

    Keith immediately noticed that Rhea¡¯s monster pets were different. Originally, a Lizardkin Chieftain was level 350 and a Spellbane Jellyfish level 200, but both of Rhea¡¯s pets were over level 400. Not only that, the Lizardkin Chieftain was wearing a complete set of equipment. It was apparent Rhea¡¯s innate gift allowed her to level monster pets and allow them to use items, drastically improving their capabilities.

    The last few seconds passed quickly.

    Three.

    Two.

    One.

    Fight!

    Rhea vanished on the spot as the Lizardkin Chieftain rushed forward. It crossed ten feet with every step, arriving before Keith in less than a second, its dagger honing in on Keith¡¯s shoulder. His eyes calm, Keith took a step forward and slammed his palm into the Lizardkin¡¯s chest, knocking it a few steps back.

    The Lizardkin showed visible astonishment. It could instinctively tell Keith¡¯s agility was lower than it by at least a thousand, yet Keith was able to react and counterattack. Growling, the Lizardkin closed in and unleashed a flurry of rapid strikes, trying to overwhelm Keith with its speed.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    The two danced back and forth for a minute when an arrow suddenly arrived from Keith¡¯s blindspot. The surprise attack struck true and sent Keith staggering into the Lizardkin¡¯s dagger. Thinking quickly, Keith activated Void Shadowstep and phased through the Lizardkin¡¯s body. Spinning around, he punched at the Lizardkin¡¯s exposed back and cast Fireball simultaneously.

    Boom!

    The explosion sent the Lizardkin flying, though it quickly recovered and landed on its feet. Keith took this moment to inspect his back. There, he found an arrow wedged in between two scales. An arrow not backed by a skill couldn¡¯t break his defenses.

    Focusing back on the Lizardkin, Keith noticed its eyes glowed red ¨C a telltale sign that it cast Enrage. Utterly silent, the Lizardkin Chieftain stepped forward, appearing in front of Keith in an instant. Buffed by Enrage, the Lizardkin attacked relentlessly, its daggers cutting deep into Keith¡¯s Dragon Regalia. The Lizardkin completely eclipsed Keith in agility, leaving him helpless under its assault.

    Keith sighed, knowing that his understanding of martial arts was still too low to compete with someone who specialized in close combat. He still had a long way to go. With that said, it was time to change tactics.

    Keith snapped his fingers and cast Cold Snap. A wave of chilly air brushed against the Lizardkin Chieftain, slowing its movement by a fraction. Smirking, Keith summoned an Ice Wall at its feet. As the Ice Wall rose, it sent the Lizardkin flying upward, making it an easy target.

    Arching his back, Keith cast Holy Flame Lance, grabbed it with his hand, then threw it with all his might. A sonic boom rang out as the Holy Flame Lance pierced straight through the Lizardkin¡¯s chest, leaving a gaping hole. Its Health dropped by 50%.

    Before Keith could rejoice, a blinding light smacked into his right shoulder and sent him to the ground. Somewhat dazed, Keith held back a groan and ripped the arrow out of his shoulder. He jumped to his feet and found his right arm limp at his side. Glancing around warily, he found the Lizardkin Chieftain lying motionless on the ground some distance away when Rhea suddenly appeared at its side and unsummoned it before it could die.

    Sighing in relief, she looked at Keith and complimented, ¡°That was a good combo.¡±

    ¡°If it didn¡¯t expose me to your attack, I¡¯d agree,¡± Keith remarked as he glanced at the Spellbane Jellyfish hovering nearby. That monster prevented him from using weaker projectile spells like Mana Bolt, a real annoyance.

    ¡°How much Health do you have left?¡± Rhea asked as she switched her weapon to a shortsword.

    Keith checked his status and grimaced. ¡°65%.¡±

    ¡°What, really?¡± Rhea expressed her surprise. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect your Mana Barrier¡¯s skill application to be so sophisticated. That¡¯s amazing.¡±

    As soon as she said that, Keith¡¯s Dragon Regalia sputtered as the Mana Barrier returned to its natural state. Maintaining it for this long had given him a massive headache.

    Rhea felt awkward. ¡°Want to stop here?¡±

    Keith considered it for a moment before shaking his head. ¡°You should be low on Mana, right? Let¡¯s continue.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you say so,¡± Rhea shrugged and used a skill, immediately shrinking the distance between the two. Keith quickly found himself on the defensive. Rhea¡¯s combat sense was far beyond Keith¡¯s, and she was just as fast as the Lizardkin Chieftain in its normal state. Keith tried to cast spells, but she simply stuck to him like glue and made his efforts futile. With no other options and no way to gain some distance, Keith¡¯s Health eventually hit 40%, signaling the end of the duel.

    Meanwhile, hidden in the sky, Markus and Ska¡¯dur watched the duel between their children with rapt attention. Ska¡¯dur felt mixed feelings even though Rhea won. ¡°That brat grew to this extent in only three years? What a freak. The only thing he¡¯s lacking is combat experience against people fighting in his face.¡± Ska¡¯dur paused and looked at Markus. ¡°Why didn¡¯t he use Blink? He could have teleported to safety and found the time to cast spells.¡±

    Markus withdrew his attention from below and answered, ¡°We¡¯ve banned him from using it precisely because he¡¯s weak to melee fighters.¡±

    Ska¡¯durs expression crumpled. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that brat would¡¯ve won otherwise?¡±

    ¡°Have you forgotten?¡± Markus chuckled. ¡°Rhea¡¯s equipment consists of Rare and Epic Grade while Keith uses Mythic. If you hadn¡¯t taught her the way you had, would Keith have a chance?¡±

    Seeing Ska¡¯dur fall silent, Markus decided to bring up one of his worries, ¡°Old friend, I know you started living as a barbarian because you were bored, but it¡¯s all Rhea¡¯s ever known. The Grandsky Realm isn¡¯t so peaceful that you can rely solely on yourself. Have you talked to her about this?¡±

    Ska¡¯dur coughed. ¡°Um, not yet.¡±

    Markus had heard a lot about the Grandsky Realm from his mother, so he figured he¡¯d go all the way. ¡°By having Rhea learn all these unnecessary skills instead of improving her combat power, you¡¯re lowering her chances of survival. Are you aware of that?¡±

    Ska¡¯dur was stunned and grew angry. ¡°What did you say?!¡±

    ¡°I know you aren¡¯t stupid,¡± Markus sighed. ¡°Think it over for Rhea¡¯s sake.¡±

    Markus ran away before Ska¡¯dur could respond, leaving him speechless.

 Collect The World - Chapter 48

    Chapter 48

    When Keith eventually teleported home with Markus, Ska¡¯dur landed next to his daughter and asked, ¡°How do you feel?¡±

    Rhea pursed her lips. ¡°Like crap.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Ska¡¯dur replied simply. There was a pause.

    ¡°Ahh.¡± Rhea suddenly kicked the ground. ¡°It¡¯s so frustrating to see him catch up to me so quickly. It makes me feel like I haven¡¯t improved at all.¡±

    Ska¡¯dur immediately thought of Markus¡¯s previous suggestion when he heard Rhea voice her feelings. It gave him a glimpse of what she would experience in the Grandsky Realm. Sighing, Ska¡¯dur explained, ¡°This is the power of civilization. Keith didn¡¯t need to spend hundreds of hours crafting equipment or caring for his basic needs. Other people specialize in that, allowing him to focus all his attention on improving his power. You weren¡¯t facing one person just now, but a collective society.¡±

    Rhea placed a hand on her hip and glared at her Dad. ¡°I know all that. Can¡¯t I vent a little?¡±

    Ska¡¯dur looked up at the stars and asked, ¡°Do you find this world peaceful?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Yeah, I guess?¡± Rhea was taken aback by the sudden change in topic.

    Ska¡¯dur looked down at his daughter with a smile. ¡°Then, if the world was full of danger, do you think you could still live as you do?¡±

    Rhea frowned. ¡°You¡¯re talking about the Grandsky Realm. I thought we weren¡¯t going to involve ourselves.¡±

    ¡°I wish we could.¡± Ska¡¯dur sighed with a shake of his head. ¡°Do you remember when I taught you about the tribal wars? Back then, a tribe of considerable strength decided to stay out of the conflict, only for the top two tribes to join hands and wipe them out. Do you know why?¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t the top two tribes mortal enemies? Why would they team up?¡± Rhea couldn¡¯t figure it out.

    Ska¡¯dur thought for a moment before continuing, ¡°Think about it like this. Imagine a lion, bear, and deer fighting over a treasure. Before the critical moment, the deer drops out of the competition and decides to watch from the side. Do you think the lion and bear will feel comfortable fighting to the death with the deer watching?¡±

    Rhea furrowed her brows. ¡°I understand. We are the deer in this scenario. So long as we possess a certain amount of strength, we influence the situation even if we do nothing. The other factions wouldn¡¯t care about us if we were nobodies.¡±

    Ska¡¯dur clasped his hands behind his back and locked eyes with his daughter. ¡°Unfortunately, I, Ska¡¯dur, am an unparalleled genius. It is my destiny to stand at the top.¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    Rhea rolled her eyes. ¡°How can you say that with a straight face? I¡¯m cringing over here.¡±

    ¡°Haha,¡± Ska¡¯dur smiled at his daughter. ¡°I¡¯ve decided. Over the next few months, I will fully devote myself to giving you the best treatment. I will craft you and your pets a full set of Mythic equipment and cook you the best food to raise your stats. This is not the time to restrict your development. You do not have the luxury.¡±

    Rhea opened her mouth to protest but said nothing when Ska¡¯dur glared at her. He wasn¡¯t taking no for an answer. Sighing, she could only hold in her grievances and reluctantly accept her father¡¯s arrangements.

    ****

    Keith collapsed onto his bed when he returned home. Although he lost the duel, he couldn¡¯t hide the smile on his face. The gap between Rhea and him was smaller than he expected. That realization validated all his hard work over the past three years and renewed his motivation.

    Keith spent a few minutes reviewing the fight and how he could have acted differently. His stats and skill levels weren¡¯t the issue. Rather, whenever someone fought in Keith¡¯s face, he struggled to defend and cast spells simultaneously. He thought too much and reacted too little.

    Markus said this problem would eventually solve itself as Keith gained experience, but Keith didn¡¯t want to wait that long, considering the gateway to the Grandsky Realm would open in a few months.

    Reviewing the fight again, Keith understood his instant cast spells were practically harmless. It was one of the System¡¯s rules that a person could only cast one spell at a time, and a single Fireball or Mana Bolt was no threat to Rhea. Thinking for a moment, Keith remembered that Yara once said there was a multi-cast passive skill in the Grandsky Realm. He could overwhelm Rhea¡¯s reaction speed with numbers if he had that. Unfortunately, there was no similar skill in the Innate Dimension.

    Another possible solution in the Grandsky Realm was a skill called Entangling Roots, allowing the caster to summon and control multiple roots. That skill would synergize greatly with Keith¡¯s Mind Division and Mind Enhancement.

    Wait a second.

    Keith abruptly sat up with a surprised expression. Did Mind Division allow him to circumvent the System¡¯s rule? The thought was so intriguing he immediately tested it out.

    One mind became two, and right before Keith¡¯s eyes, two Mana Bolts hovered above his head. Keith was ecstatic. He promptly divided his mind as many times as he could, and soon enough, twenty-nine Mana Bolts circled his body. Before Keith could get too excited, he felt a significant strain on his mind, though it wasn¡¯t too bad.

    Keith recalled that the multi-cast passive skill needed to reach a super high level to cast over ten times, yet here he was casting twenty-nine spells at once. Unable to calm down, Keith paced around his room as he thought about the implications. In the past, Yara mentioned that each Dimension possessed a few pinnacle skills. Keith guessed that Mind Enhancement and Mind Division belonged to this category.

    However, Keith found something strange. He was a mage, so why hadn¡¯t anyone told him Mind Division and Mind Enhancement allowed for multi-casting? Keith tried to deduce the reason when he suddenly started shaking.

    Maybe he was the first to discover this?

    Keith¡¯s Aunt Serilla said that the military farmed Mind Division and Mind Enhancement skill gems for scientists. If that was the case, it made sense. There was no need for scientists to cast spells while researching.

    ¡°Slimeballs,¡± Keith muttered when his thinking reached this point. If his guesses were right, he¡¯d just made a massive discovery. Keith thought about it for less than a second before deciding to inform his Dad as soon as possible. He wasn¡¯t so selfish as to keep this a secret.

 Collect The World - Chapter 49

    Chapter 49

    For several decades, the military had always allocated Mind Division and Mind Enhancement to scientists and engineers to speed up technological progress, so it was easy to understand why they weren¡¯t very happy to learn about Mind Division¡¯s newfound use. After all, the Grand Lich took a month to respawn, meaning the Innate Dimension only produced 12 Mind Division and Mind Enhancement skill gems a year.

    With the gateway to the Grandsky Realm opening in less than three months, how was the military supposed to arm their top mages with Mind Division and Mind Enhancement? It was simply impossible.

    Over a thousand mages in the military were qualified to receive Mind Division and Mind Enhancement, yet there weren¡¯t enough skill gems to go around. While the military¡¯s upper echelon sighed with regret at the missed opportunity, the mages ended up deeply depressed. Interestingly, a military data analyst noticed a drastic increase in mental health spending over the following period.

    Meanwhile, Keith took two days to recuperate from his duel with Rhea. He subconsciously avoided thinking of asking Elora to heal him up with a quick poke and regenerated Health the old-fashioned way. It was probably because of trauma or something.

    While recuperating, Keith browsed the magic network and maintained his farm. Over the past three years, Keith found the most success growing ingredients for elixers, as they were always in high demand. Nowadays, the Farming Simulator made Keith over a million gold a week in pure profit.

    Unfortunately, the Farming Simulator had hit a bottleneck. The upgrades were simply too expensive. It was more beneficial for Keith to invest in himself rather than continue to upgrade the farm, for the time being at least.

    On the second day of recuperating, Keith woke up and checked the Rift Simulator. The Rift Simulator continuously generated loot, and Keith could cash out whenever he wanted, though he preferred to cash out when he woke up for the day. It was similar to drinking coffee or doing some drugs to kickstart the day.

    Keith liked to read the detailed summary of what dropped before withdrawing his earnings. Today though, he noticed that the quantity of loot seemed much bigger than normal. He earned almost five times as much compared to yesterday. It was startling.

    ¡°Weird,¡± Keith muttered as he fell into thought. Keith knew that his equipment, stats, and skill levels determined the Rift Simulator clone¡¯s efficiency, but nothing had changed compared to yesterday, so why did he earn so much more?Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    After thinking of several possibilities, Keith felt that his newfound understanding of Mind Division was the cause. He found it somewhat odd. Keith didn¡¯t acquire a piece of godly equipment or crazily raise his stats or skills, yet his clone¡¯s efficiency had increased by around five times just from learning how to use a skill differently.

    That had a profound implication.

    The Rift Simulator seemed to measure Keith¡¯s combat strength after considering every aspect of his being. Keith found that revelation a little scary. It wasn¡¯t like you could look at someone and see a number representing their power level, right?

    Keith realized that he could measure his growth if the efficiency of his Rift Simulator clone increased. Although he couldn¡¯t compare his growth rate to other people, it was enough. Sometimes it was hard to see if you were making progress, which led to a lack of motivation. Now, Keith could simply look at his clone¡¯s efficiency and see if there were any changes.

    When Keith fully recovered his Health, he left home and found a secluded place in the wilderness. It was time to run some tests. Cracking a silly smile, Keith enhanced and divided his mind to his limits, then summoned 29 fireballs and sent them forward.

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    After the dust cleared, 29 small holes appeared in front of Keith. Pausing for a second, Keith twirled around before pointing a finger. 29 Mana Bolts shot into the distance. Whistling, Keith decided to crank things up and abruptly pointed all ten fingers ahead of him. ¡°Take this!¡±

    Zzzzzzzzzt!

    Chain Lightning shot out from his fingers, causing lightning to bounce from tree to tree. They appeared and vanished in an instant. Cackling madly, Keith continuously cast Chain Lightning from his fingers until he ran out of mana. The feeling of multicasting was too damn good.

    Keith suddenly had a crazy idea. He looked around and made sure nobody was around before withdrawing Mana from his Grimoire. Then, he cast Small Meteor. Not once, not twice, but a total of 15 times. Keith¡¯s mana instantly dropped from full to empty.

    Looking up, Keith spotted 15 dots in the sky. His smile faltered as the dots grew bigger. Perhaps, maybe, this wasn¡¯t such a good idea. Keith hesitated for just a second before turning and running.

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

    A massive explosion rang out from behind a few moments later. Curious, Keith looked over his shoulder just in time to see a barrage of rocks from the fallout blasting his way.

    ¡°Crap!¡± Keith yelped as he quickly withdrew more Mana and cast Blink repeatedly to teleport to safety.

    A minute later, the dust eventually settled, allowing Keith to see a massive crater a hundred feet across, with fallen trees everywhere. Gobsmacked, he muttered, ¡°I did this?¡±

    It was hard for lower leveled people to cause such destruction. The scene before him made Keith recall Ska¡¯dur¡¯s painting of Yara fighting Sloth. Each of their attacks leveled mountains. While Keith wasn¡¯t nearly close to that level, he had made a big step forward.

    For some reason, Keith¡¯s power left him a little scared and, at the same time, proud. It was a complicated feeling.

 Collect The World - Chapter 50

    Chapter 50

    Ska¡¯dur sat brooding on his porch, a beer mug in his hand. His gaze was on the clouds, yet he only saw the smile Yara wore during their meeting a few hours ago. That old crone was utterly delighted he finally decided to join her faction. No doubt she was already brainstorming ways to use him to her advantage.

    Even now, joining Yara¡¯s war chariot left Ska¡¯dur feeling complicated. Certainly, while she was benevolent to her subjects, she was too conniving for his tastes. The fake wars she staged with the orcs and demons irked him the most. No matter what the Innate government said publically, Ska¡¯dur knew they were simply using the orcs and demons as a whetstone to train their armies ¨C all at Yara¡¯s command.

    But, Ska¡¯dur couldn¡¯t deny she was capable. If what she said was true about the factions in the Grandsky Realm, picking her was his best choice. Plus, many of his friends were leaders of the Innate Nation, and he couldn¡¯t bear the thought of becoming their enemy.

    Ska¡¯dur finished his drink and resumed crafting his daughter¡¯s equipment. Rhea was currently ignoring him, no doubt because of his recent decision. He understood what she was upset about, but understanding and agreeing were two different matters. It was na?ve to think you could ascend to the top by relying on yourself.

    A few hours passed as an exquisite chest piece made from monster hide came into shape under Ska¡¯dur¡¯s meticulous handiwork. Making a set of Mythic grade equipment was no big deal to him, as his blacksmithing skill had reached level 500 around three centuries ago.

    Thinking of all his level 500 skills made Ska¡¯dur recall the quest he received from the System when the Innate Dimension unexpectedly closed.

    [Quest: Trapped But Not Forgotten]

    Description: As the Innate Dimension¡¯s greatest warrior, you have acquired this quest as compensation for the gateway¡¯s forced closing.

    Content: Create and level skills until the gateway reopens.

    Reward: Undetermined. Based on the quality of created skills and the number of skills that reach level 500.

    According to the quest, the Innate Dimension wasn¡¯t supposed to have closed, locking them in here like rats. Ska¡¯dur¡¯s momentum was overwhelming when the gateway opened, and it was supposed to be his destiny to set out to a bigger world ¨C the Grandsky Realm. But the fight between Elaine and Sloth ruined everything. Somehow, the gateway closed at the end of their fight.

    Over the following years, Ska¡¯dur developed every aspect of himself to the limit, waiting for that fateful day. As of today, he created 17 skills and brought over 200 skills to level 500. More importantly, he merged 10 of his legacy skills into something that should only belong in the Grandsky realm: a Transcendent skill.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    ¡®Life Energy¡¯ was the quintessence of Ska¡¯durs efforts over the past 500 years and his greatest pride, besides Rhea. It contained all his insights regarding skills, stats, the body, and the mind. Even the System agreed.

    Title: Prodigal Skill Technician

    Description: Gives +10% effectiveness to all primary stats. Granted by creating a Transcendent grade skill.

    ****

    Markus led Keith through a highly restricted complex adjacent to a military base. The roads were extremely wide, at least a hundred feet across, while the buildings were simple but massive white rectangular blocks with no flair or style. The only thing of note was the gargantuan hangar doors that spanned across the front of the buildings.

    Many people were hard at work, either offloading crates from Mana-powered vehicles or moving packages here and there. The entire operation consisted of several thousand people. Thankfully, the roads were wide enough that Markus and Keith could stay out of their way.

    As Keith scrutinized the crates everyone was carrying, he said to his father, ¡°I¡¯m surprised we had to pass so many security checkpoints just to see some warehouses.¡±

    Markus chuckled and said, ¡°I¡¯m guessing all you see are some ugly buildings, but what I see is the lifeblood of our nation.¡±

    Keith rolled his eyes, prepared for his father to go into another one of his majestic speeches about civilization. That was one thing Keith learned about his father: the man was a bit of a die-hard supporter when it came to his country. To Keith¡¯s relief, Markus simply looked over to the building at their side. ¡°We¡¯re here. Warehouse 13.¡±

    Father and son walked up to a door next to the hangar. When Markus pressed a card against the array scanner, the door opened with a beep. Before stepping inside, Markus glanced at Keith and asked, ¡°Do you know who the biggest hoarders in the world are?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± Keith responded with a smirk.

    ¡°You wish.¡± Markus laughed as he stepped through the door. Keith¡¯s eyes widened in shock when he followed in. The warehouse was several times larger than what appeared from the outside, which meant it had a space expansion array installed. Keith had never heard of space expansion arrays enlarging a building of this size. Just the daily Mana cost was frightening to think about.

    What Keith found more absurd was the excessive quantity of packages neatly stacked up to the ceiling from the front to the back. At least a hundred thousand crates were sitting in this warehouse alone. At this time, Markus continued with a solemn expresssion, ¡°Remember Keith, while mighty, a nation consumes and produces a tremendous amount of resources. Its livelihood depends on whether it has what it needs to provide for its people. That is what these warehouses contain: the accumulation of a billion people across generations.¡±

    Keith was awed as he walked over to a sealed crate. ¡°Can I see what¡¯s inside?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Markus used the same keycard as before to unlock the crate. Bronze ingot after bronze ingot lay neatly stacked on top of one another, filling the crate to the brim. Keith quickly counted and found 1,000 Mythic grade bronze ingots in this crate alone. He looked up at the tall rack in front of him, which contained thousands of similar crates.

    Gasping, Keith asked, ¡°Are they all bronze ingots?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Markus shook his head. ¡°Warehouse 13 contains stockpiles of every metal the Innate Dimension can produce. From ores to ingots, it has it all.¡±

    ¡°Then what about the other warehouses?¡±

    Markus shared what the other 23 warehouses contained, from arrays to monster eggs and herbs to potions. In total, the warehouses held everything the Innate Nation needed to survive. More importantly, for war.

 Collect The World - Chapter 51

    Chapter 51

    Jacky swallowed a pill-shaped stimulant to keep herself focused. Watching the anomaly for hours on end was boring beyond belief, yet she didn¡¯t dare slack off, especially not as of late. A slight distraction might be all it took for things to spiral out of control.

    Jacky could sense her companions patrolling below her watchtower, envious that they could at least stretch their legs. That was one downside of the stimulant. It gave both her mind and body a surge of energy. But boy did she need it.

    Two weeks had passed since the higher-ups stationed her here to observe the anomaly ¨C a woman sealed within a spatial bubble hovering off the ground. The sleeping woman was a middle-aged version of Yara, and even though she was older, she still retained her unblemished beauty.

    As the night stretched on, Jacky repeatedly fought off all distracting thoughts her mind sent her way. Finally, when the first ray of sunlight broke over the horizon, the person taking over her shift made their way up the ladder leading to the top of the watchtower.

    Knowing that it was Olo, Jacky prepared to leave, only to hear the faint sound of shattering glass. Jacky thought someone had dropped something, only to freeze in horror when she looked through the binoculars one more time.

    The middle-aged Yara stared right at her as the spatial bubble collapsed into pieces.

    At first, Jacky found it strange. She was currently several miles out from the anomaly and needed binoculars combined with an ocular skill to catch a glimpse of Elaine, so how could Elaine lock onto her the moment she awakened?

    ¡°Did you hear something just now?¡± Olo asked as he entered the room, completely oblivious.

    Olo¡¯s question snapped Jacky out of her daze. Fearing further delays, Jacky slammed her hand onto a glass compartment next to her. The glass shattered, revealing a yellow button underneath. Jacky quickly pressed the button and grabbed Olo as she jumped from the top of the watchtower in one breath.

    ¡°Wha-?¡± Olo¡¯s eyes widened in realization.

    As Jacky fell through the air, she yelled to her companions, ¡°Code Yellow! Code Yellow!¡±

    At the same time, Elaine landed on her feet and stood in a daze. Where was she? Who was she? None of the surroundings looked familiar. While her brain drew a blank, tears suddenly fell from her eyes as her heart clenched in pain. She collapsed to her knees and struggled to breathe, all while one memory after another flashed through her mind.

    Her husband, daughters, and sect.

    All of it was gone. Slaughtered by Sloth and his horde.

    Despair and rage coursed through her veins as thoughts of death were all she could think about. Distracted by her emotions, she didn¡¯t notice three identical contraptions rise from the ground around her. Each contraption held a glass cylinder where a dark blue concentration of Mana floated. Space contorted and pulsed around the cores as they continuously drew in Mana from the atmosphere.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    Suddenly, the glass containing the three Mana cores shattered, releasing them into the world. Attracted by each other, the three cores shot towards one another, merging into one. Its natural ability to draw in Mana quickly skyrocketed as the core grew bigger and bigger. Eventually, it collapsed, unable to sustain itself.

    At that moment, Elaine felt unprecedented danger. Fuelled by instinct, she covered herself in Dragon Regalia before everything turned white.

    ****

    Yara woke up with a racing heart. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong. Before going to bed, she made some calculations and found everything in order, so why did she feel such dread? A sudden change in her inventory explained everything. With a swipe of her wrist, a broken trinket appeared in her hand. Her expression collapsed. ¡°She¡¯s awoken so early?¡±

    Yara had considered that Elaine might wake up sooner than her calculations foretold, yet now that it had happened for real, anxiety left her frozen in place. All her preparations fell to the wayside as the possibility of failure consumed her every thought. Too much was riding on this momen-

    ¡°Mom!¡± Markus suddenly crashed through the bedroom wall with a solemn expression. When he saw her lying upright in her bed without any sense of urgency, he approached and shook her roughly.

    ¡°Markus?¡± Yara looked at her son in a daze.

    Markus considered many things to say, and in the end, he said what he thought would help the most, ¡°Do you want to lose everything you¡¯ve built to a ghost from your past? You¡¯ve already overcome it once, don¡¯t let her drag you back.¡±

    Yara saw the worry in her son¡¯s gaze and chuckled, ¡°Silly boy, that isn¡¯t the problem.¡±

    For the first time, Yara understood Zeidrick¡¯s condition. Who would have thought the great and mighty Yara would fall victim to anxiety? But one thing Markus said was right. She wouldn¡¯t let Elaine destroy what she¡¯d built. Her nation wouldn¡¯t become a tool to satisfy her main body¡¯s quest for destruction.

    Yara locked her jaw and jumped out of bed. As she changed her cosmetic clothes, Markus summoned a teleportation gate, after which they both walked through, putting on a facade of confidence.

    On the other side of the portal was a flurry of activity. The local teleportation arrays were operating at full capacity as soldiers appeared in groups. Officers shouted commands for their squads to gather before boarding their designated Skyship. In less than one minute, everyone participating in the operation had arrived.

    In the next moment, twenty-five First-Class Skyships shot into the sky, their Mana engines operating at full speed. A First-Class Skyship appeared like a multi-deck sailing ship, except it didn¡¯t have any sails. Instead, a complex set of arrays ran through its hull, giving it the ability to fly, incredible defense, and making it nearly weightless. It also possessed several devastating weapons, like the V9 Mana Bolt Gattling Gun and the L2 Sunfire Laser. Both weapons dealt damage equivalent to a level 400 skill, and every First-Class Skyship had twenty of each.

    Yara stood on the bow of the leading First-Class Skyship, her hair fluttering in the wind. Behind her stood Markus, Frod, and another leader of the four families: Catara. Catara had a shaved head and many tribal tattoos running across her body. Like Frod and Wes, she was born during the warring tribe''s era.

    The first rays of daylight washed over the convoy of Skyships, almost as if it was embracing them. They crossed half of the Innate Dimension in less than fifteen minutes and arrived before a terrifying abyss ¨C a hole bigger than anyone thought possible.

    Yara¡¯s gaze hardened upon witnessing the result of using three Mana Reactors as makeshift bombs. Countless gasps came from behind while Markus sighed, ¡°So many resources¡­ gone¡­.¡±

    ¡°Yo, could she have really survived this?¡± Frod questioned with a raised brow.

    All twenty-five First-Class Skyships stopped mid-air as the sun slowly revealed the abyss below. Thousands of feet under, near the center of the gaping maw, a silhouette slowly rose to their feet, answering Frod¡¯s question.

    She was alive.

 Collect The World - Chapter 52

    Chapter 52

    Twenty thousand some gazes locked onto Elaine from above, hoping that the bomb caused as much damage to her as it did to the surrounding earth. Reality showed otherwise. The only visible wound on Elaine¡¯s body was a few scorch marks. She was almost entirely unharmed.

    Whispers came from the soldiers.

    ¡°What a monster¡­.¡±

    ¡°Did she avoid the bomb somehow?¡±

    ¡°It seems like it.¡¯

    Yara spoke up after performing divination to quell the army''s doubts, ¡°The bomb was a success. It completely destroyed her Transcendent grade robe, Fabric of Moonlight. After the fight with Sloth, her equipment is all but gone.¡±

    That was all Yara needed to say to raise the army¡¯s morale. They had all seen the report of Elaine¡¯s skills and equipment. The item Fabric of Moonlight broke all standards that the natives of the Innate Dimension had long accepted. That item alone would¡¯ve blocked or reduced 99% of any damage Yara, Frod, Markus, Ska¡¯dur, or anyone else could¡¯ve caused.

    But now it was gone.

    The fight with Sloth reduced its durability by a good 60%, and the bomb did the rest. Yara found it regrettable. She knew how valuable Transcendent grade items were, especially more important ones like a robe. It had taken the Grandsky Realm over two thousand years to accumulate around 40 pieces of Transcendent grade gear, highlighting just how rare they really were. Yara felt heartache over the loss of such a valuable treasure, but she knew that the Fabric of Moonlight needed to go to defeat her main body.

    ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Crazed laughter came from below. Elaine clutched her stomach as her eyes hinted at madness. ¡°Has the System forsaken me? After losing everything, now my clone comes to take my life?! Hahaha! Is this some sick joke? Huh? Answer me!¡±

    Elaine raised the item in her hand, a sparkling grey gem. The core of the Innate Dimension. The Conceptual, Sin, and Element Dimension had fought for two thousand years to seize each other¡¯s cores, resulting in millions of lives lost. Now Elaine held the fourth core in her hand. If she combined it with the cores of the other three dimensions, she would become the ruler of the Grandsky Realm.

    Knowing all that, Elaine threw the core aside, raised her head to the sky, and let out a grief-filled scream. ¡°System, hear me! For two thousand years, I have taken parents from their children, turned wives into widows, and orchestrated wars that resulted in rivers of blood, all to satisfy your quest. Your cruel, barbaric quest to find a supreme ruler. I say, no more!¡±

    Elaine locked onto her clone, madness painting her visage. ¡°Now! After I send this traitor to its death, watch as I slaughter every living thing in the Grandsky Realm. I wonder how you will find a ruler then, hahaha!¡±

    Everyone aboard the Skyships felt chills when Elaine looked up at them. There was only a sense of nihility in her gaze. It was clear she had lost something crucial¡ªthe will to live.

    But she would not go quietly.

    Before she drew her last breath, the System would regret taking everything from her.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Colossal amounts of Mana suddenly gushed out from Elaine as Judgement manifested around her. Amorphous blobs of Mana grew atop each other until it formed a towering construct with six heads and twenty-four arms.

    This Judgement was several times larger than Yara¡¯s version, reaching almost four hundred feet high. Elaine had used the skill for far longer, resulting in a skill level that was almost 1000. Next, Elaine cast Arsenal, a Celestial grade skill, summoning temporary Ancient grade swords, spears, clubs, scimitars, and wands to arm Judgement.

    The synergy between Judgement and Arsenal resulted in a terrifying construct built for war. But that wasn¡¯t all ¨C Elaine had one final move. Dragon Regalia made its appearance once more, except it covered Judgement from top to bottom. Compared to the scales Keith could conjure, the ones covering Judgment were the size of a fingernail.

    During the few seconds Elaine took to power up, the twenty-five Skyships opened fire as they spread out. Concentrated bolts of Mana shot out from the barrels of 500 V9 Mana Bolt Gattling Guns, unleashing a hail of destruction. Each V9 Mana Bolt Gattling Gun could shoot five bolts a second, meaning 2,500 Mana Bolts attacked Elaine every second. The 500 L2 Sunfire Lasers activated as well, releasing a continuous beam of fire-attributed Mana.

    Such attacks would rip a level 500 tank to shreds in seconds, but when the Mana Bolts made contact with the monstrous Judgment, they simply bounced off. Only the L2 Sunfire Lasers seemed to deal some damage, though it was negligible to someone at Level 982.

    Yara made a signal during the initial barrage, prompting Frod, Catara, Markus, herself, and twenty thousand soldiers to jump off the Skyships. Everyone divided themselves as gravity took hold, forming ten groups. As they fell, Yara, Markus, Frod, Catara, and six other individuals withdrew a War Array and promptly activated it. Everyone with a subsidiary War Array on their person felt their strength leave them as a portion of their stats funneled into the holders of the primary War Arrays.

    These War Arrays were the only reason the Innate Nation had a chance at besting Elaine. Otherwise, no matter how strong each person was individually, the most damage they could deal to Elaine was less than 100. However, with War Arrays, the many could channel their stats into one.

    Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t possible for a million people to channel their power into one person and smack Elaine to death. The efficiency of the transfer depended on the quality of the War Array and the number of people involved.

    In any case, when Elaine¡¯s Judgement fully manifested, twenty thousand people landed on the ground as Yara, Markus, Frod, Catara, and the six other War Array recipients charged forward.

    The greatest weakness of War Arrays was the source of its power: the people it drained stats from. As a veteran of numerous battles, Elaine no doubt knew this, so when she saw her enemy activate ten War Arrays, she ignored her clone and went for the kill.

    In response to her will, the wand-wielding hand of Judgement pointed up and cast Meteor Shower, a Celestial grade skill. The sky above the twenty-thousand weakened soldiers instantly grew dark. Five flaming rocks the size of hills trailed through the sky.

    ¡°Quick! Erect the barriers!¡± A commander shouted with a pale face. He couldn¡¯t believe how fast the meteors had arrived. Usually, Small Meteor took a few seconds to activate, yet Elaine instantly cast the upgraded version of the skill. That was an ultimate skill, damn it.

    Right before the meteors landed, an absurdly thick barrier of Mana covered the army just in time. Elaine sneered at the sight. How could a group of level 500 weaklings possibly defend against her level 930 skill? Sure enough, the barrier caved inward, threatening to break at the slightest touch.

    But it didn¡¯t.

    While the barrier trembled ominously, a seemingly infinite amount of Mana poured into the arrays powering the barrier, allowing it to hold on. The five meteors collapsed into rubble from the impact, covering the dome in debris.

    Elaine quickly found the reason for her failure. In the center of the army were three contraptions that appeared eerily similar to the bomb that destroyed her Fabric of Moonlight. She could sense how they absorbed ungodly amounts of Mana from the atmosphere. What were those things?

    Before she could figure it out, Yara, Markus, Frod, Catara, and six other powerful individuals arrived before her, emanating auras far beyond their level. The clash between Elaine and the Innate Nation had finally begun.

 Collect The World - Chapter 53

    Chapter 53

    ¡°Die, traitor!¡± Elaine screamed as a sixty-foot-long scimitar slammed down on her clone¡¯s freshly summoned Judgement. Yara hastily raised four hands to block as the ground caved in underneath her. Elaine had many arms to use, and a spear pierced forward while Yara was busy preventing the scimitar from cleaving her in two.

    Just before the spear found its mark, a transparent black bear no smaller than Yara¡¯s Judgement appeared and slapped it away. In the center of the bear¡¯s head was Catara, her tattoos covering the surface of the bear¡¯s body. It was her innate gift.

    The bear cast Intimidating Cry and released a mighty roar, lowering Elaine¡¯s stats by a fraction of a percent just as a club the size of a hill knocked the beast aside. A deep trench followed the bear as it slid against the ground, while yet another weapon, this time a sword, came to claim Yara¡¯s life.

    At this moment, an incorporeal Frod merged with Yara¡¯s Judgment, greatly boosting all of its parameters and reducing the disparity between Yara and her main body. Empowered by Frod¡¯s innate gift, Yara pushed out the scimitar embedded in her shoulder, allowing her to defend against the incoming sword.

    All the while, Markus and the six other War Array recipients defended on Yara¡¯s left and right, forming a tight blockade against Elaine¡¯s furious assault. While Elaine¡¯s Judgement skill was amazingly powerful, only ten arms could attack Yara¡¯s group at once. The rest were situated on the other sides of its body, making them useless. By taking advantage of this weakness, Yara and the rest were just barely able to hang on.

    But it was a losing battle.

    Every attack Yara¡¯s group thwarted consumed either some Health or Mana. Meanwhile, Elaine had only lost a few percent of Mana. The comparison highlighted just how vast the gap between both sides was. War Arrays, First-Class Skyships, unique innate gifts. No matter how many advantages Yara¡¯s group had, they still couldn¡¯t overcome an equipmentless level 983 opponent.

    All of this was in accordance with Yara¡¯s divinations.

    Karma was an elusive concept, and while Elaine slept, Yara nurtured a civilization from scratch, fuelling the growth of her Karma skill by leaps and bounds. It was now level 856 and around 200 levels higher than her main body. That meant Yara could manipulate things without Elaine¡¯s knowledge.

    For example, Yara and her main body primarily perceived the world through karmic lines. So, all Yara needed to do was shift the lines a bit, and suddenly Elaine was oblivious to the movement of the soldiers fuelling the War Arrays.

    BOOOOOOOM!

    The battle ravaged the land as the minutes passed. Deep ravines and giant pits were everywhere, with broken rocks flying around at incredible speeds at any given moment. The twenty thousand soldiers tried their best to avoid the debris as they surrounded Elaine, but a few were unlucky.

    A small rock traveling faster than the speed of sound caved a young woman¡¯s head in, and several others found themselves on the ground without understanding what happened. The injured tried their best to stay silent as they took painkillers and left the battlefield, while anyone nearby carried out those who couldn¡¯t move.

    Yara released a flare once she saw everyone in place, and the now nineteen thousand soldiers all withdrew an item from their inventory: a handheld ballista engraved with runes. A moment later, nineteen thousand bolts flew through the air and collided with Elaine¡¯s Judgement. Strangely, the flat-headed bolts stuck to the manifested skill like glue. Attached to the other end of the bolt was a chain still connected to the ballista that fired it.

    Just as a surprised Elaine discovered that Yara fooled her senses, the nineteen thousand soldiers quickly unhooked their chain from their ballista and wrapped it around their arm before pulling as hard as possible. While each soldier was much weaker than Elaine individually, their combined Strength stat was far beyond what Elaine could contest with. As a result, Elaine found her Judgement pinned in place and unable to budge an inch. Her prided self-created skill became useless in a single move.

    Several things happened simultaneously over the next second while Elaine was defenseless.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    Major General Gregory, a bulky short-haired man and one of the War Array recipients, abruptly dashed forward and jumped. He arrived at the chest of Elaine¡¯s Judgement and cast Myriad Strikes, unleashing a hundred punches in an instant and cracking the scales of Elaine¡¯s Dragon Regalia.

    Major General Alyssia, a red-haired woman, pointed her staff as Gregory jumped out of the way. A level 500 Holy Ray made its appearance as a thick beam of light pierced through the air. The scales Gregory cracked shattered, revealing Elaine''s shocked face.

    But the hole they made was too little for what they wanted to accomplish, so Yara stepped forward and used her Judgement¡¯s arms to pry it open further. During all this, Frod merged with one person after another until finally, he empowered Markus, who stood atop Yara¡¯s Judgement.

    Markus¡¯s expression was firm as he held a greatsword over his shoulder and activated Inevitable Presence. The air rippled with increasing ferocity as he walked forward, each step causing his back to bend ever further as the skill compressed his strength. The sixth step was his limit. Blood flowed from his eyes and nose, yet he drew upon his will and forcibly took another step.

    CRACK!

    A web of white lines spread out in the air from underneath Markus¡¯s foot. Tremendous power flowed through Markus¡¯s body as blood gushed out of his pores, and if not for Frod¡¯s empowerment, he would¡¯ve collapsed. Knowing this was as far as he could go, Markus looked up at Elaine and activated his self-created skill: Weight of Virtue.

    Channeling the compressed power within him into his greatsword, Markus swung down, releasing a ferocious arc of sword light that almost instantly collided with Elaine¡¯s torso.

    Time and space abruptly froze as an unknown power dragged Markus and Elaine into an immaterial world where everything was blurry except for a massive weighted scale. Due to the special nature of the skill, Elaine instinctively understood the rules of this strange space. A sliver of clarity returned to her mind as she gazed at Markus with visible surprise. ¡°You created a skill with interconnection at its core, a tenet of Karma. Did Yara teach you? Why? Who is she to you?¡±

    Markus struggled to stand upright, blood still gushing from his pores and orifices, as he said, ¡°She¡¯s my mother.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± The little clarity that Elaine recovered vanished in the blink of an eye. ¡°Impossible. How dare she forget what we¡¯ve lost? It must be some trick, a ploy!¡±

    Markus watched as bloody tears streamed down Elaine¡¯s cheeks. He struggled to imagine the crazed woman before him was once how his mother was. Although he knew they were different people after so many years had passed, he still didn¡¯t agree with how Yara was handling this. Was killing Elaine the only way forward?

    Markus tried to reach out to her. ¡°Five hundred years have passed. She hasn¡¯t forgotten; she¡¯s moved on and found happiness again.¡±

    ¡°You lie!¡± Elaine screamed. ¡°Just thinking of the possibility that I¡¯d forget the rage and injustice that flows through my veins sickens every fiber of my being, so do not speak to me about moving on and finding happiness until you have lost everything you¡¯ve ever loved.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Markus sighed as the skill Weight of Virtue began to activate.

    Motes of light started forming behind Elaine and Markus, some larger than others. The enormous scale floating beside them began tallying each light after determining its intensity and size.

    Elaine sneered at the sight. ¡°Child, while I commend you for creating a skill like this, it was foolish of you to target me with it. You are merely less than a century old while I have lived for over two thousand years. How many connections do you think I¡¯ve formed compared to you?¡±

    Weight of Virtue was a skill Markus created by incorporating his understanding of his innate gift and Yara¡¯s teachings of Karma. The skill evaluated a person¡¯s connections, how deep they were, and how many. If the skill determined Markus had fewer connections than Elaine, the skill would damage him instead. That was why Elaine thought Markus had a death wish by using it on her.

    However, as time passed, more and more orbs of light formed behind Markus, easily eclipsing Elaine¡¯s side. Elaine couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°How is it possible for your vessel to influence so many people? Who are you?¡±

    For the first time, Elaine focused all her attention on Markus and the karmic lines surrounding him. Surprise colored her face when she deduced his innate gift. ¡°No wonder. You are one of the Innate Dimension¡¯s chosen. But this ability is ludicrous. What is the System thinking?"

    Markus remained silent as the scale to his side began tipping in his favor. Ten million, a hundred million, one billion. Each light represented a person that Markus had influenced positively in some way. As for Elaine, who had slumbered for five hundred years, her connections were pitiful indeed.

    A few moments later, the scale ruled overwhelmingly in Markus¡¯s favor. A pulse spread out as the immaterial world shattered, returning Markus and Elaine to the real world. Space unfroze and time resumed.

    The sword light that entered Elaine erupted as Weight of Virtue dealt a deadly blow. Blood spewed out like a fountain from the large gash on Elaine¡¯s chest that started from her shoulder and ended at her hip.

    The Judgement covering Elaine vanished as she fell to the ground accompanied by the clangs of nineteen thousand bolts.

 Collect The World - Chapter 54

    Chapter 54

    Elaine spat out a mouthful of blood and chunks of flesh, her vision blurry and mind shaken. She struggled to process what had just happened during Markus¡¯s skill. Why were her connections gone or weak? Where were her companions and friends, the bonds she developed over her long life?

    It was then she recalled something Markus had said. Five hundred years had passed. Five hundred long years. While sealed, her friends continued living, thriving and experiencing, changing and growing. They likely created many wonderful memories without her. Maybe they even mourned her supposed death once a year. That realization left Elaine profoundly exhausted.

    Nobody knew Elain¡¯s thoughts as she slowly struggled to her feet while blood continuously gushed out of her wound until she stood hunched over, her arms hanging limp without any strength.

    Taking this chance to recover, Markus forced down a few potions as Catara growled impatiently, ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡±

    Yara¡¯s gaze flickered with hesitation, unsure what Elaine was planning, standing there motionless. A few tense moments later, blue light abruptly manifested on Elaine¡¯s chest when she cast Mana Stitching, a Celestial grade skill. Two needles quickly stitched her gaping wound together and removed her bleeding status.

    ¡°Attack!¡± Yara commanded upon seeing this. ¡°She has 60% Health left, don¡¯t underestimate her!¡±

    ¡°Hhraaa!¡± Major General Gregory rushed forward and punched Elaine in the gut, causing her body to wrap around his fist. The effect of Gregory¡¯s skill Cannon Fist activated and sent Elaine flying at the speed of sound. Before she hit the ground, Colonel Carper, a tall, lankly fellow, teleported in Elaine¡¯s path and kicked her to the sky.

    Major General Alyssia twirled her staff and pointed the tip at Elaine as she followed up with another attack. Like the Skyship¡¯s V9 Mana Bolt Gattling Gun, Alyssia summoned one Mana Bolt after another, thanks to her innate gift, Spell Echo. An unending barrage of Mana Bolts collided with Elaine¡¯s body, forcing her higher and higher into the air.

    Suddenly, Major General Gregory appeared above Elaine with both fists clasped above his head as he swung down in a brutal overhead smash. A sonic boom followed in Elaine¡¯s wake as Gregory¡¯s attack sent her deep underground.

    Colonel Carper teleported to the edge of the newly formed crater, a frown on his face. ¡°Strange.¡±

    Gregory landed nearby and grunted in agreement. ¡°Why isn¡¯t she defending herself?¡±

    Markus wanted to speak up, but he knew everyone was loyal to Yara. Voicing his doubts about killing Elaine would only cause discord within their party.

    Just as he thought this, a hand grabbed Carper¡¯s ankle from below and dragged him under. In the next moment, Elaine emerged from underground. While climbing to her feet, Gregory pounced forward and drove his fist into her skull.

    However, this time, Elaine remained in place, her head barely moving an inch. Gregory¡¯s eyes widened as he pulled back out of caution and looked at his hand in disbelief. How could Elaine take on his full-strength punch without using Dragon Regalia? Was the gap in stats between them that great?Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    Yara glared at her main body. ¡°What are you doing? Have you given up or not?¡±

    Elaine lifted her head and stared back at her clone. There was a moment of silence before she said, ¡°Knowing that you¡¯d happily live on left me unwilling.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it? You want to kill me before passing on to satisfy your ego? How petty you¡¯ve become,¡± Yara sighed.

    Elaine was expressionless as she spoke with an emotionless tone, ¡°Pettiness? I don¡¯t know. Call it whatever you want. I don¡¯t really care.¡±

    Yara narrowed her eyes, surprised to see Elaine¡¯s current state. Why was she behaving so differently compared to how Yara was?

    After speaking, Elaine tried summoning Dragon Regalia, but it unexpectedly failed. Her mental state was too chaotic to complete such a complicated operation. Elaine chuckled despite herself before focusing on Markus, who struggled to regulate his breathing after using his previous combination of skills.

    Yara immediately grasped Elaine¡¯s intention and screamed, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡±

    Charging forward, Yara slammed her Judgement¡¯s palm down on Elaine like she was a bug. The ground sunk ten feet in the outline of a hand, yet Elaine remained standing, using just a single arm to hold back Yara¡¯s attack.

    Elaine promptly grabbed onto one of the fingers of the hand pressing down on her and began spinning. Using brute force, she dragged Yara¡¯s Judgement around in circles and let go once she built up enough momentum.

    WOOOSH!

    Everyone watched in disbelief as Yara¡¯s several hundred-foot-tall Judgement flew through the air at an unbelievable speed. She crossed over a thousand feet before gravity took effect.

    A bloodied Carper suddenly appeared from underneath Elaine and slid his dagger up her spine as he jumped out of the ground. Unfortunately, Elaine¡¯s natural defense was so high his surprise attack only drew a thin line of blood.

    ¡°Gah!¡± Carper hastily crossed his arms to block a roundhouse kick from Elaine. The collision knocked him backward as he plowed through the ground, building up a small dirt hill behind him.

    Catara, Alyssia, Gregory, and the others tried their best to pin down Elaine, but her stats allowed her to endure whatever attacks they sent her way. Even without using skills or spells, Elaine¡¯s brutish fighting style proved deadly to her level 500 opponents.

    Eventually, she arrived before a fatigued Markus, cuts, bruises, and burns marring her flesh. Catara, Alyssia, Gregory, and the rest lay on the ground behind her. While Yara tried her best to return to the battlefield, Elaine lifted Markus by the neck and said with a level tone. ¡°I will take you from her just like the System took everything from me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Markus sighed as he looked at Elaine¡¯s expressionless visage.

    Elaine froze when she saw the pity in Markus¡¯s gaze. And then she felt anger. ¡°Do not mistake me for your mother!¡±

    Markus¡¯s vision momentarily flashed white when he suddenly found himself flying through the air and into the hull of one of the skyships. The ship cracked in two as the installed arrays misfired, followed by chain explosions.

    Elaine watched the falling wreckage for a moment before turning to face Yara, who stood some thirty feet away. However, to her confusion, Yara wore a sly grin. Elaine couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s with that look? Was caring for your son an act?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Yara covered her mouth with a chuckle. ¡°I have to thank you. Of the several routes I foresaw, this one was the least likely to happen and the one I desired the most.¡±

    Elaine furrowed her brows and was about to respond when a subtle pulse caught her attention. Turning around, she saw a magnificent sight that only she and Yara could see: the gathering of providence.

    A golden light approached from the direction of the Innate Nation, lighting up the battlefield with its splendor. Elaine watched with mute awe as millions upon millions of karmic threads burrowed into a body within the flaming wreckage of the fallen skyship.

    Yara smiled and said, ¡°That silly boy has such a preposterous Innate Gift, yet his sense of duty prevents him from using certain aspects of it. I¡¯m glad you knocked some sense into him.¡±

    Elaine couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing. Those golden threads represented fate, destiny, and good fortune. They were extremely difficult to sense, much less manipulate. From what Elaine observed, that young man called Markus could gather other people¡¯s destinies onto himself. And from the looks of it, it wasn¡¯t simply the destiny of a handful of people, but an entire nation.

 Collect The World - Chapter 55

    Chapter 55

    [Innate Gift] Glory of the Many

    Description: Gain or lose stats and skills based on your civilization¡¯s happiness, growth, security, health, stability, military, technology, infrastructure, economy, education, average level, average skill level, territory, resources, etc. You can gain additional benefits depending on how much your actions positively affect your civilization.

    [Innate Gift Sub-Skill] Gathering of Providence

    Description: Imbue your civilization''s fate, destiny, and good fortune onto yourself. Every action will consume this resource. Use wisely.

    Markus once asked his mother the meaning of providence to better understand his skill when he unlocked it. According to her, providence encompassed luck, longevity, positive encounters, prosperity, inspiration, and countless other concepts.

    She explained that the System would positively affect individuals with providence. Someone with a lot of providence would find themselves frequently getting rare loot, while someone with low providence would often find themselves sick or lacking sparks of inspiration.

    Since providence was so important, Markus had never activated the skill since acquiring it a decade ago. It was a resource so precious that using it to fight monsters or bosses was wasteful. Plus, it didn¡¯t feel right that he would be spending other people¡¯s providence, not his own. As such, he vowed never to use the skill.

    But now, as he lay within the burning wreckage of a skyship, he had a sudden realization. At the time, perhaps the System knew Markus took his role as a guardian seriously and would never use it unless times were desperate.

    As things stood, that time was now.

    While providence was precious, what good would it do if Elaine decided to wipe out the Innate Nation? It was better to spend the providence to ensure that didn¡¯t happen.

    ¡°So be it,¡± Markus sighed, pushed off the few planks covering him, and activated Gathering of Providence. As he stood to his feet, an unexpected notification appeared before his eyes.

    Congratulations! Due to your immense providence, you¡¯ve acquired a temporary title: World Blessing.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    [Title] World Blessing

    Description: As a person blessed by the world itself, events shift in your favor, misfortune befalls your enemies and mana yields to your will.

    While the title¡¯s description was pretty vague, Markus immediately sensed the mana around him calling out like children asking to play a game. All he needed to do was cast a skill, and they would rush to his aid.

    Wasting no time, Markus cast the buff Physique of the Lurking Beast to test the exact effect. The difference was immediate. Compared to usual, the nearby mana rushed into Markus¡¯s body as if he was a black hole. Next, a notification informed him that the title World Blessing boosted the effectiveness of the skill by an unbelievable 1,000%.

    Markus was shocked beyond belief.

    Thanks to the title, a single buff increased his stats by 250%, reduced any damage taken by 90%, and upped his natural health and stamina regeneration by 10,000%. However, as a consequence, Markus felt a slight decrease in his providence. Any excitement he had instantly vanished. He locked onto Elaine and knew he had to end this fast.

    Glowing gold all over, Markus emerged from the skyship¡¯s wreckage and took a step forward. As if by teleportation, he arrived before Elaine and grabbed her neck. A few steps later, he was far from his wounded companions, allowing him to fight without worry.

    Undeterred, Elaine raised a palm before Markus¡¯s face and cast a level 976 Force Shock. Followed by a loud blast, a forward-facing shockwave sent Markus staggering backward, and he only stopped after taking eight steps. Blood flowed out of his eyes, nose, and ears from the concussive blast, but he was mostly unharmed.

    ¡°Impossible!¡± Elaine expressed her disbelief after seeing Markus still standing after taking Force Shock at point-blank. ¡°How can the power of providence affect your defense to this extent?¡±

    Markus remained silent and swung his greatsword while casting a boosted Empowered Strike. A shrill wail rang through the air as a tangible blade light in the form of a crescent moon instantly arrived before Elaine. Her hastily summoned Mana Barrier collapsed upon contact, allowing the crescent moon free entry into her exposed flesh.

    Elaine groaned and took a step back, clutching her chest with one hand and pointing at Markus with the other.

    Lightning Flash!

    A bolt of blue light hit Markus in the shoulder before he could react, charring his skin and dealing significant damage. Ignoring the pain, Markus responded with another attack, and the two quickly entered a fierce battle.

    Thanks to the boost provided by the Child of Heaven title, Markus¡¯s skills proved just as powerful as Elaine¡¯s, even though hers were several hundred levels higher and had a better grade.

    While the victor remained uncertain, Elaine slowly found everything become increasingly exhausting. What was she even fighting for, and why was she attacking this young man she didn¡¯t know? Whether it be casting skills or simply breathing, it all took a herculean effort. The burst of emotions from before dwindled until only emptiness was left.

    She was so, so tired.

    Eventually, when Markus unleashed another Empowered Strike, Elaine unexpectedly closed her eyes and stood still. The crescent blade light cut straight through her neck, dropping her health to zero and granting her everlasting peace.

    There was a thud as Elaine¡¯s body hit the ground, followed by silence.

    Markus took a moment to process what had just happened. When he realized Elaine had given up, he again wondered whether forcing her down this path was the correct choice. Deactivating Gathering of Providence and returning to normal, Markus collapsed on his back and knew killing Elaine would weigh heavily on his mind for years to come.

 Collect The World - Chapter 56

    Chapter 56

    Around the time Yara and the others fought Elaine, an army composed of orcs and demons marched towards a towering fortress controlled by the Innate Nation. This fortress, named New Dawn, surrounded the gateway leading to the Grandsky Realm and was the Innate Nation¡¯s first line of defense against any would-be intruders.

    At this moment, weapons of war far more devastating than L2 Sunfire Lasers and V9 Mana Bolt Gattling Guns pointed at the massive blue portal that had recently activated. New Dawn would unleash hell on any unknown entities that passed through, no questions asked. The Innate Nation could afford no mistakes during this critical time.

    According to long prepared plans, a stream of soldiers specialized in scouting and stealth made their way through the gateway and into the new world beyond. None of them knew what was waiting for them on the other side, but they showed no fear as they did their duty.

    Unfortunately, New Dawn¡¯s offensive capabilities focused inward rather than outward. That was why the several million strong army of orcs and demons confidently marched until they stopped a mere thousand feet away from New Dawn¡¯s walls.

    Only a hundred thousand among the army belonged to the old guard ¨C the ones who entered the Innate Dimension way back when. Their levels averaged 600 to 650. The rest were their descendants, proliferated over five centuries, with levels between 350 to 500.

    When their army stopped, Major General Luca, a beautiful elf with short yellow hair and a longbow on her back, appeared on the ramparts of New Dawn. She looked over the unorganized army of demons and orcs before locking onto a certain demon standing at the front and shouted, ¡°High Demon Vikaros, are you reneging on the treaty between our people?¡±

    Vikaros, a demon more masculine than most, stepped forward with a sneer. ¡°Hah. Ridiculous. We would not be standing here today if not for the events of three years ago. The late Demon General Vokoth and Warchief Ugak followed your so-called treaty; look what it got them. A knife in the back!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± An eight-foot-tall female orc walked up to Vikaros¡¯s side. ¡°My father, Warchief Ugak, was an honorable orc who kept his promises. Yet Yara, that conniving old wench, murdered him for no reason. Now you have the gall to accuse us of breaking our agreement. We have not forgotten this slight!¡±

    ¡°We have not forgotten!¡± The army roared, their voices shaking the ground.

    Luca was unphased by the accusation and responded, ¡°Stop twisting the truth. Lady Yara only acted after General Vokoth¡¯s brother, Xeron, attempted to assassinate her family member.¡±

    Vikaros sneered. ¡°Just because you say he did, we have to believe you? And even if that was the case, why did Yara kill General Vokoth and Warchief Ugak too?¡±

    Luca was about to comment when Ugak¡¯s daughter shouted, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you say. What matters now is whether you will let us through the gateway or not.¡±

    ¡°We cannot take the risk of you announcing the existence of the Innate Dimension prematurely.¡± Luca firmly answered. ¡°Immediately return to your borders, or we will consider your presence here an act of war.¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°Then you leave us no choice.¡± Vikaros made a hand gesture. ¡°Siege weapons, forward!¡±

    At his command, twenty massive catapults the size of two-story houses appeared at the front of the army. Engravings lined their surface as they began to pulse with mana. A few demons loaded the catapults with a metal ball and shouted, ¡°Ready!¡±

    ¡°Fire!¡± Vikaros waved his hand.

    With a heavy whoosh, the catapults unleashed their payload. Luca promptly shouted over her shoulder, ¡°Defensive barrier!¡±

    A giant blue dome that covered New Dawn blinked into existence as the metal balls soared through the air. In less than a second, they collided with the mana barrier and shattered, revealing the blackish blood hidden within. Sizzling sounds rang out as the corrosive blood melted the barrier, only for fresh mana to reinforce what was lost. The catapults continued firing until blood covered the whole dome.

    Vikaros laughed upon seeing this. ¡°Let¡¯s see how long you¡¯ll last under this much Blood Oil.¡±

    Blood Oil was a special alchemical concoction commonly used by the Sin Dimension to take down mana barriers and was very effective. Vikaros had assaulted several fortresses using it in the past, so he knew it was only a matter of time before New Dawn¡¯s barrier fell.

    However, as the minutes passed, it became clear this barrier was uncommonly durable. Knowing that New Dawn could receive reinforcements at any moment, Vikaros shouted another command, ¡°War arrays, activate!¡±

    The several million strong army activated the pendants hung around their necks and funneled their power into a thousand of their strongest fighters, 80% of which were demons. The designated combatants separated themselves from the army and made their way forward. Vikaros and Margaret, the daughter of Warchief Ugak, led at the front.

    Before they got very far, Ska¡¯dur jumped out from within New Dawn and landed in the army''s path. He crossed his arms over his bare chest and gazed over the approaching army, his unkempt beard and unruly hair blowing wildly in the wind.

    ¡°Halt!¡± Vikaros raised a fist and looked over his presumed foe. ¡°Ska¡¯dur, is it? I¡¯ve heard of you. The humans regard you as their strongest. Surely such praise hasn¡¯t gone to your head? Do you really think you alone can stop our advance?¡±

    Ska¡¯dur let out a booming laugh. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to test myself against those from the Grandsky Realm, but I¡¯ve never had the chance. I think your level advantage and numbers will serve as a nice handicap.¡±

    Vikaros gaped for a moment before shaking his head and shouting, ¡°Kill this fool and quickly take down the fortress¡¯s barrier! Freedom awaits, brothers and sisters!¡±

    ¡°Freedom!¡± The army behind Vikaros chanted as the thousand war array recipients charged forward with Vikaros and Margaret at the front.

    Feeling the powerful aura coming from his foes, Ska¡¯dur¡¯s desire for battle awakened, and he activated his innate skill, Mutation, causing his skin to tremble and bones to crack. Ska¡¯dur¡¯s body underwent massive changes as his head transformed into that of a bear, his skin into the scales of a dragon, and his limbs into that of a clawed reptile. Apart from the physical changes, traits from over 15 monsters strengthened various aspects of his body, whether it be the durability of a Mythril Golem or the explosive power of a Phantom Leopard.

    After the transformation, yellow energy carrying a powerful vitality erupted from Ska¡¯dur¡¯s body, encompassing him within. The energy behaved like fire in the wind, its movement random and chaotic.

    It was Life Energy.

    [Transcendent (Legacy)] Life Energy ¨C Level 603

    Description: Acquire a unique energy based on the essence of the five primary stats. Use Life Energy to enhance your skills or body temporarily. The effectiveness of the enhancement depends on the quantity of Life Energy consumed. Life Energy slowly recovers over time. Each level increases the maximum amount of Life Energy you can store, the recovery time, and the enhancement value of each point of Life Energy.

    Feeling power coming from three sources, a war array, his innate skill, and Life Energy, Ska¡¯dur never felt better. He had lived without struggle for too long, and looking at the demons and orcs rushing at him, the passion he felt in his youth erupted once more.

    After beating this army back, it was time for the Grandsky Realm to know his name.

 Collect The World - Chapter 57

    Chapter 57

    ¡°Curse of Weakness!¡±

    ¡°Great Fatigue!¡±

    ¡°Vitality Collapse!¡±

    The enemy spellcasters covered Ska¡¯dur in several debuffs, significantly lowering his attributes and reducing his combat effectiveness by half.

    ¡°Annoying,¡± Ska¡¯dur scoffed and raked a claw across his right arm. Sickly black blood gushed out of his wound, signifying that his skill Exsanguinate activated and cleared all his current debuffs. The spellcasters tried again, but Exsanguinate remained active as long as Ska¡¯dur had the bloodloss effect, making their efforts futile. Of course, he constantly lost health as a consequence.

    As the demons and orcs crossed fifty feet with every step, Ska¡¯dur stood fearless with a solemn glint in his eyes, and it was only when a hundred feet remained that he moved. Adjusting his posture, Ska¡¯dur¡¯s Life Energy erupted before converging on his fist. Emitting a low growl, he punched forward. ¡°Earthshatter!¡±

    Physical force transformed into a terrifying shockwave that blasted forward, lifting the ground wherever it passed. The shockwave covered the demons and orcs in an instant and sent them flying while the weakest ones directly exploded. Screams of horror and despair erupted in the large army at the back when the shockwave reached their position. Not boosted by war arrays, they were defenseless before a Life Energy infused Earthshatter, and their casualties quickly reached tens of thousands.

    Everyone suddenly stopped moving.

    Nobody expected Ska¡¯dur to unleash such power, not even the man himself. Earthshatter was a Mythic grade skill comparable to Small Meteor, and Ska¡¯dur poured 50% of his Life Energy reserves into increasing its effectiveness by around 1,000%. As a result, it briefly rivaled a skill well beyond Ancient grade.

    A few moments later, Vikaros revealed himself as he lifted a rock the size of a small house off his back and tossed it aside. Wiping the blood from his lips, he looked around and froze when he saw the state of his people. Tens of thousands of unrecognizable bodies lay motionless on the ground, with streams of blood flowing into the cracks in the earth. It was like a scene from hell.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Vikaros ground his teeth together and looked for his fellow war array recipients, only to see around 50 of them still breathing. He was horrified. How could this happen? How could a level 500 defeat so many level 600+ people with a single blow? It was unimaginable.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    While everyone was struggling to cope with the situation, Ska¡¯dur saw the countless corpses in the back and felt sick to his stomach. He was disgusted with himself. All he wanted was to kill the 100 war array recipients in a show of force, not massacre half a hundred thousand weaklings. Unfortunately, he drastically underestimated his current strength after receiving the reward from the System for going above and beyond on his quest.

    Ska¡¯dur glanced at his fist in a daze. During the tribe wars, he only killed less than a thousand, but now he took the lives of so many with a single skill. It was too casual. Too simple.

    Margaret, the current orc chieftain, held her broken chest as she shouted in terror, ¡°W-we surrender!¡±

    Countless others followed in her stead. ¡°We give up!¡±

    ¡°I admit defeat!¡±

    Ska¡¯dur sighed when everyone looked at him like he was a monster. Feeling complicated, he turned around and leaped through the barrier encompassing New Dawn, which had returned to its transparent state after the Blood Oil ran out. Ska¡¯dur landed next to Luca, who had seen everything with an ocular skill. The elven general spoke solemnly, ¡°It needed to be done. Many more would¡¯ve died if word of the Innate Dimension spread.¡±

    When Ska¡¯dur remained silent, Luca continued, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t consider those demons innocent. The Sin Dimension¡¯s culture lacks any respect for life. Sacrifices, slaves, torture. They do anything in their pursuit of power. Killing scum like that is a good deed.¡±

    ¡°Is that your justification?¡± Ska¡¯dur smirked. ¡°I admire your ability to make mass murder sound so pleasant.¡±

    Luca shook her head and didn¡¯t respond. Nothing she said would convince Ska¡¯dur in his current mood. Instead, she turned her attention to the demons outside New Dawn. They were in a state of retreat, their heads low.

    A moment later, a young soldier hastily ran up to Luca and saluted, ¡°Ma¡¯am, a report just came from the advance party.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Tell me.¡± Luca turned to the messenger and furrowed her brows while Ska¡¯dur¡¯s ears perked up.

    The soldier gave a wide smile. ¡°After a preliminary sweep, we¡¯ve found no signs of enemy combatants near the gateway. Serenity Canyon appears to be in the same state as when Yara found it.¡±

    ¡°Good. Great.¡± Luca relaxed and spoke to several high-ranking officers standing behind her. ¡°Protocol 3 is a go. You know what to do.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± The officers were visibly excited as they headed toward their divisions, ready to push through the gateway now that Luca had given the go-ahead.

    Right after, another soldier ran up and reported, ¡°Word came in from Major General Frod ¨C Elaine is dead!¡±

    Luca held back from showing joy and asked solemnly, ¡°How many casualties were there?¡±

    ¡°Reporting!¡± The soldier¡¯s voice fell a few notches. ¡°1,125 deceased, among which were master class experts Major General Batch and Major General Mackay.¡±

    Luca clenched her fists as she processed the message. So many died, but her rationality told her the result was better than expected. Projections said they¡¯d lose at least ten thousand experts and five master class experts. It seems the battle went well.

    Luca glanced at Ska¡¯dur and forced a smile, ¡°Are you ready to see the Grandsky Realm?¡±

    Ska¡¯dur took a deep breath and looked over at the gateway in the distance with a determined gleam in his eyes. The moral anguish he currently felt wouldn¡¯t hold him back now that the moment he¡¯d been waiting for had finally arrived.

    It was time to see what the Grandsky Realm was all about and, of course, to go beyond level 500!

 Collect The World - Chapter 58

    Chapter 58

    Serenity Canyon was one of the many zones in the northwestern region of the Grandsky Realm, far from the territories of the Sin, Elemental, and Conceptual nations. About as large as the Innate Dimension, it took the shape of a bowl, with its borders housing pockets of lakes from top to bottom. Water fell from the higher lakes to those below, creating a beautiful network of waterfalls and shrouding the plant life in a haze of mist. A dense jungle claimed the bottom of Serenity Canyon, its reach extending everywhere. The cries and roars of various creatures rang out constantly.

    On the eastern edge of Serenity Canyon, situated between two lakes, hovered a massive blue portal surrounded by floating rocks engraved with undecipherable lines. It was the gateway leading to the Innate Dimension, previously inactive.

    At this moment, humans, elves, and dwarves streamed through the portal. Arriving in the Grandsky Realm for the first time, they looked around in amazement.

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t block the portal!¡± A soldier standing nearby scolded the newcomers, finding it amusing how everyone reacted the same.

    ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± An elderly dwarf laughed in embarrassment and urged his companions forward. Not long after, Ska¡¯dur and Luca stepped through the portal. They glanced around, comparing what they saw with the image of the Grandsky Realm they had built in their mind. Ska¡¯dur breathed in through his nose and found the air fresh and invigorating.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, please move out of the way!¡± The soldier stationed at the side called out respectfully.

    Luca blinked, then understood and chuckled to herself. Moving forward, Ska¡¯dur noticed a flurry of activity. All around him were carpenters setting up the framework of numerous structures. To his left was a group of array technicians pointing here and there as they argued, while to his right was a bunch of high-ranking officers consulting each other on how to construct the camp.

    Ahead, a line of people worked hard on chopping back the jungle to create more space. However, the durability of these trees was much higher than those in the Innate Dimension. What usually took a swing or two now took hundreds.

    ¡°Look there,¡± Luca pointed to the side with her chin.

    Ska¡¯dur followed her gaze and saw people unloading crates full of processed materials like ingots, leather, cloth, and gems. Nearby, there were flashes of light as a select few individuals synthesized the unloaded items. Ska¡¯dur immediately understood what was going on and commented, ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve planned things well.¡±

    Luca¡¯s eyes held anticipation as she said, ¡°We should have a few sets of Ancient grade equipment ready by the day¡¯s end. Depending on how Zeidrick performs, we might even see Divine grade.¡±

    ¡°Zeidrick?¡± Ska¡¯dur was confused for a moment. ¡°Oh, his son. I forgot he took his old man¡¯s name. Isn¡¯t he a little young to be able to craft Divine grade gear?¡±

    Luca smiled, ¡°You underestimate him. His crafting skill came from the Grandsky Realm, so he wasn¡¯t bottlenecked by the Innate Dimension¡¯s rules. I¡¯ve heard his skill level¡¯s almost 700.¡±

    Ska¡¯dur struggled to believe it. ¡°No way, each level past 500 takes forever. How could he be nearing 700?¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Luca gave Ska¡¯dur a strange look, wondering how he would know, but still said, ¡°Zeidrick consumed a lot of resources to reach where he is now.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Ska¡¯dur coughed.

    At that moment, the air rippled as a dome formed over the camp. It shimmered briefly before turning invisible. Ska¡¯dur recognized it as an illusion array, hiding whatever it covered from prying eyes. It seemed the Innate Dimension had thought of everything.

    Having joined Yara¡¯s camp a little late, Ska¡¯dur was out of the loop on many things. He glanced at Luca and asked, ¡°You called this place Serenity Canyon. How safe are we?¡±

    Luca shrugged, ¡°Pretty safe. Serenity Canyon is one of the Grandsky Realm¡¯s 1,000 zones and is the size of our Innate Dimension. The other three dimensions are far to the southeast. They aren¡¯t a concern.¡±

    Ska¡¯dur caught onto the hidden meaning in her words. ¡°And what is?¡±

    ¡°Monsters,¡± Luca furrowed her brows. ¡°Rifts in the Grandsky Realm have no barriers, allowing the monsters it spawns to roam freely. Some are just as intelligent as us, and they¡¯ve formed factions of their own. Serenity Canyon most likely has a Monster Lord, and avoiding its attention is our top priority until we can face it.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡± Ska¡¯dur groaned. ¡°How will we increase our strength if we need to restrict our activities?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the hard part,¡± Luca scratched her head in frustration. ¡°Hopefully, we¡¯ll have the location of its den soon enough. Let¡¯s pray it''s on the other side of the canyon.¡±

    ****

    Transparent figures flashed through the treetops, jumping from one branch to the next in complete silence. The group of five kept a short distance from each other as they traveled deeper into Serenity Canyon.

    The leader of this team was Gloria, a short female elf wearing green leather armor. After making another jump, she abruptly stopped on the next branch and raised a fist. Her four team members paused and kept their eyes peeled for any movement.

    Meanwhile, Gloria pressed a palm against the large trunk next to her. Her innate gift activated as her senses extended into the tree, down into the ground, and through its roots. Her awareness spread from one root network to the next, and soon she saw everything within a three-mile radius.

    A certain commotion caught her attention ¨C a fight between two groups of monsters. One side was a party of Ironskin Apes wearing armor, while the other was a gathering of Earth Satyrs. Strangely, the Ironskin Apes used a combat formation as they fought.

    As the fight went on, Gloria noticed the Ironskin Apes only crippled the Earth Satyrs instead of killing them, leaving her puzzled. The Earth Satyrs struggled with all their might, but the Ironskin Apes had both the advantage in equipment and teamwork. The battle was over in a few minutes, with the Earth Satyrs laying defeated on the ground.

    An Ironskin Ape holding a spiked club over their shoulder walked forward with a grunt. ¡°Newborn, do you submit to the rule of Monster Lord Cangu?¡±

    The Earth Satyrs¡¯ expressions varied, with a few showing looks of defiance and unwillingness. Suddenly, one of the Earth Satyrs made a run for it. The leading Ironskin Ape snorted and kicked the ground. In the next moment, an earth spike impaled the fleeing Earth Satyr from below. The life faded from its eyes as it dissipated into motes of light.

    Seeing how easy it was for the Ironskin Ape to kill their companion, the Earth Satyrs called out one after another, ¡°I submit!¡±

    ¡°Me too!¡±

    The Ironskin Ape with the spiked club nodded with a pleased smile. ¡°You made the right choice, new blood. Follow me.¡±

    While the Earth Satyrs ignored their wounds and struggled to their feet, the Ironskin Apes talked amongst themselves. ¡°Hah, not a bad batch. We should get at least 500 merit points.¡±

    ¡°I hope so. I¡¯ve almost got enough points to purchase a new skill.¡±

    The Ironskin Apes were in a good mood as they led the Earth Satyrs to their base.

    Meanwhile, a few miles away, Gloria opened her eyes with a weird expression. Was this how monsters recruited one another? A quick beatdown and voila, new employees! Why did it seem so simple?

    ¡°Hey, find anything?¡± Gloria¡¯s companions asked when they saw her expression.

    Gloria withdrew her palm from the tree trunk and explained what she saw, causing one of her teammates to click their tongue upon hearing the situation. ¡°Huh, we¡¯re about two hours away from the gateway and we already encountered the Monster Lord¡¯s minions. I hope their base isn¡¯t nearby.¡±

    ¡°Only one way to find out,¡± Gloria said with a determined look.

 Collect The World - Chapter 59

    Chapter 59

    The general public knew the Grandsky Realm would open soon, and everyone and their mother couldn¡¯t stop talking about it. Speculation about the other three dimensions was the number one topic, followed by the ability to level past 500.

    The Innate Nation had long promoted a sense of self-improvement, and many people were looking forward to breaking their limits. As a result, everyone started hoarding resources, causing prices to skyrocket.

    However, when the Innate government announced they would restrict access to the Grandsky Realm until the situation was under control, many people expressed their dissatisfaction, especially adventurer groups.

    While adventurers were not comparable to the military in might, they weren¡¯t pushovers either. There were some very powerful individuals among their numbers, and the government couldn¡¯t ignore their demands. It was only after numerous discussions that both parties reached an agreement.

    In the end, the government would only allow the adventurer parties that passed several inspections testing their character, reputation, and loyalty to co-operate with the military during the initial months when the gateway opened. Obviously, the adventurer groups weren¡¯t satisfied with this, but the government¡¯s stance didn¡¯t budge no matter how they argued.

    Like clockwork, the sun rose over the horizon. The general populace woke up ready to start the day like any other, unaware that the gateway to the Grandsky Realm opened earlier than expected.

    Among them was Keith, who jumped out of bed full of vigor. After stretching and changing out of his pajamas, he wore a silly smile and opened his Rift Simulator to check the loot his clone farmed overnight. With the tap of a button, eight hours'' worth of XP and items entered his Grimoire. Next, he paid a significant fee to withdraw the stored XP and saw a notification saying he leveled up.

    He was now level 424!

    The Rift Simulator basically gave him a free level every few days. Even if Keith did nothing, it was only a matter of time before he reached level 500. How awesome was that?

    Speaking of leveling up, Keith recently began feeling the limits of the Innate Dimension. There were only so many monsters above level 400, with barely any at level 500. The amount of XP needed to level up past level 400 was so much that the Innate Dimension¡¯s native monsters weren¡¯t sufficient to meet the demands of those seeking to reach level 500 without taking decades.

    Even worse, with Keith¡¯s recent ability to multicast, he felt confident that he could kill a level 500 to 600 monster. Unfortunately, the Innate Dimension simply didn¡¯t have monsters at those levels. If there were, Keith¡¯s XP gains would skyrocket, and even reaching level 500 in a month was possible.

    Thinking along these lines, Keith left his room, ready to start another day hunting monsters at a level 450 Rift. However, as soon as he stepped through the doorway, he found his mother leaning against the wall across from his room. The expression on her face gave Keith a foreboding feeling.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°Mom¡­?¡± Keith asked hesitantly.

    Mariane uncrossed her arms and directly said, ¡°Elaine died this morning. Don¡¯t worry, your father and grandmother are fine. They¡¯re already in the Grandsky Realm.¡±

    ¡°Uh.¡± Keith was dazed. The gears in his head spun as he processed the message. It turns out Elaine woke up early. Since she died, it means they passed one of their biggest hurdles.

    Mariane continued after giving Keith a few moments to think, ¡°Yara asked if you want to go over?¡±

    Keith¡¯s face lit up, but he hesitated when thinking about recent events. ¡°Am I qualified to cross the gateway?¡±

    Mariane rolled her eyes. ¡°You know Yara. When has she let nepotism stop her?¡±

    Keith fell silent. He thought and thought, struggling with indecision. Too many people wanted to see the Grandsky Realm for themselves, but the government wasn¡¯t letting them. Now, Keith had the chance to go early, thanks to being Yara¡¯s grandson. Well, it wasn¡¯t like he was hurting anyone, right? At worst, it was cutting in line.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go,¡± Keith answered after overcoming the mental hurdle.

    Mariane waved her hand. ¡°Follow me.¡±

    A member from Umbra was waiting in the courtyard outside Keith¡¯s house. They saluted after seeing Mariane approach with Keith in tow. ¡°Ma¡¯am.¡±

    Mariane returned the gesture and said, ¡°We¡¯re ready.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± the Umbra member nodded and summoned a teleportation gate. They stepped through first, followed by Mariane and Keith. New Dawn¡¯s teleportation ban array prevented them from teleporting directly inside, so the trio appeared on the plains a few hundred feet from its walls.

    As the three approached, Keith couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath when he saw the towering fortress. Their party entered a side door a few moments later, and soon enough, they arrived before the rumored gateway. Compared to a teleportation gate, it felt like a product of nature.

    At this point, their guide saluted and said, ¡°Someone¡¯s waiting for you on the other side. Stay safe!¡±

    Keith thanked the Umbra member as they hurried to leave somewhere else before turning back to the gateway, where one person after another stepped through. Looking at his Mom, Keith asked, ¡°So we just go in?¡±

    ¡°Yep. Feeling anxious?¡± Mariane glanced at him.

    ¡°A little,¡± Keith nodded. ¡°But I¡¯m more excited.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go!¡± Mariane grabbed Keith¡¯s arm and pulled him forward. A second later, the two passed through the gateway and arrived in a dome-shaped building. Just as the two looked around in wonder, a voice drew their attention, ¡°Move along, please.¡±

    Keith glanced to his left and saw a soldier sitting on a chair reading a book. Suddenly understanding, Mariane and Keith made their way to a large open doorway. Upon leaving the building, Keith was amazed to find a small town bustling with activity.

    Before he could take it all in, another member of Umbra approached them. ¡°Miss Walker?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Keith¡¯s mother confirmed.

    The Umbra member was visibly relieved. ¡°If you would, please follow me. Lady Yara¡¯s been expecting you.¡±

    Mariane rolled her eyes. ¡°Yeah, right. More like she¡¯s waiting for her grandson.¡±

    The Umbra member simply smiled without commenting. Getting involved in this family¡¯s drama was above their paygrade.

    Keith glared at his mother before following along. After a few twists and turns and several inspections, Keith found himself standing on the top floor of the largest building in the town. There, Yara leaned against the balcony railing, her long black hair swaying in the wind as she gazed into the distance.

    ¡°Grandma!¡± Keith called out and rushed to her side.

    Yara turned with a loving smile and embraced Keith in a tight hug. A moment later, she stepped to the side to give Keith a clear view of Serenity Canyon and exclaimed, ¡°Welcome to the Grandsky Realm!¡±

 Collect The World - Chapter 60

    Chapter 60

    Yara leaned her head on Keith''s shoulder. They spent a few moments taking in the scenery before Yara asked, ¡°Well, what do you think? How do you feel?¡±

    Keith withdrew his gaze from the loggers chopping down the jungle in the distance and hesitantly answered, ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m a little underwhelmed¡­ I mean, it all feels familiar. I had this image in my head of the Grandsky Realm being some foreign and exotic land, yet it has trees and lakes all the same.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s reasonable,¡± Yara nodded thoughtfully.

    Keith paused, then added, ¡°Of course, that¡¯s just my initial reaction based on the geography. I¡¯m still looking forward to getting new skills and seeing what the Grandsky Realm has to offer.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t have to wait too long,¡± Yara abruptly smiled. ¡°Come, I have something to show you.¡±

    Yara hugged Keith¡¯s arm and prepared to leave. Mariane, who had been sitting on a nearby couch while the two talked, stood up. ¡°Wait, where¡¯s Markus?¡±

    Yara stopped and heaved a sigh. ¡°He¡¯s recovering from the fight this morning.¡±

    ¡°Is he okay?¡± Keith quickly asked.

    ¡°Yes, his health has recovered, though I¡¯m afraid killing Elaine left him mentally unsettled. I think¡­.¡± Yara¡¯s voice trailed off.

    Mariane furrowed her brows. ¡°You think Markus considers you and Elaine as the same person?¡±

    ¡°Probably not,¡± Yara denied. ¡°But I think he felt she was redeemable.¡±

    ¡°Do you think she was?¡± Mariane asked.

    Yara looked at Mariane as the atmosphere suddenly grew tense. A few moments passed, and in the end, Yara glanced away. ¡°If we had time, it might be possible.¡±

    Mariane sneered, ¡°For some reason, I feel you wouldn¡¯t like that, would you?¡±

    ¡°Mom!¡± Keith reprimanded with a gasp. He could feel the hand Yara had wrapped around his arm clench.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Yara gave Keith a weak smile before turning to Mariane. She took a deep breath and said, ¡°You¡¯re right. A part of me didn¡¯t want her to recover as I did.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Mariane pressed, for Markus¡¯s sake.

    Yara shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not ready to talk about it.¡±

    Mariane glared at Yara before relenting with a huff. ¡°Fine, then.¡±

    Yara closed her eyes and followed the karmic thread connecting her with Markus. When she found his location, she opened her eyes and revealed, ¡°He¡¯s on top of the dome covering the gateway. Happy?¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Yes, thank you so very much,¡± Mariane replied with a roll of her eyes.

    After the group left the building, Mariane separated from Yara and headed toward Markus while Yara dragged Keith through the ever-expanding town. Keith¡¯s curiosity was piqued, and he asked, ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°To Zeidrick,¡± Yara replied cheerfully now that Mariane was gone.

    ¡°He¡¯s here?¡± Keith exclaimed. He hadn¡¯t spoken with Zeidrick since the orb project went kaput.

    Yara smirked. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve invested so much in that weirdo. It''s time for him to pay up.¡±

    Yara brought Keith to a large warehouse filled to the brim with stacks of high-end metals and other materials. By habit, Keith cast Inspect, and his eyes widened in surprise. The alloy metal beside him reached a grade that only the Grandsky Realm allowed: Ancient grade!

    Keith sucked in a breath when he saw the other stacks of items.

    Were they also Ancient grade?

    Yara¡¯s laughter reached Keith¡¯s ears before he could verify his guess. ¡°Don¡¯t bother. Everything here is Ancient-grade.¡±

    Keith¡¯s mind shook. ¡°Were they synthesized?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Yara nodded. ¡°Unfortunately, nobody besides me has enough mana to synthesize materials to Divine grade, so Ancient grade is the best we can mass produce for now.¡±

    Keith was confused. ¡°It takes so much mana? I remember synthesizing to Mythic grade doesn¡¯t take that much, right?¡±

    ¡°The Grandsky Realm is exceptionally stingy when it comes to higher grade skills and items compared to the Dimensions,¡± Yara explained with some helplessness.

    ¡°Huh,¡± Keith remarked. ¡°I guess that just makes everything more valuable.¡±

    Yara led Keith deeper into the warehouse until they came across a small workshop. It had everything an artisan would need, a forge, anvil, whetstone, etc. There were even more advanced constructions that combined mechanical contraptions with arrays.

    Hand-held tools floated around the workshop, working on one thing or another, while a ball of liquid metal hovered in the air. In the middle of all this, Zeidrick sat slouched over on a stool, his brows furrowed in concentration. He was using the Telekinesis skill to work on multiple things at once.

    ¡°Zeidrick!¡± Yara suddenly shouted.

    ¡°Ack!¡± Zeidrick nearly fumbled off his stool in surprise. Turning around angrily, he saw Yara smiling at him and immediately turned meek. ¡°Ah, Yara, um, hello.¡±

    Yara cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Well? Any results?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, of course!¡± Zeidrick bowed his head submissively, afraid to make eye contact with Yara. ¡°I¡¯ve made 103 pieces of equipment so far, all Ancient grade. My skill level has risen a few points, too.¡±

    ¡°How many sets?¡± Yara¡¯s tone was flat, clearly displeased.

    Zeidrick rubbed his cheek. ¡°Um, 7, 7 sets.¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Yara raised her chin and said, ¡°I want you working day and night until you have 1,000 sets of Ancient grade equipment. Do you understand?¡±

    Tears formed in Zeidrick¡¯s eyes as he pleaded, ¡°B-Boss, mercy. I alone can¡¯t outfit an entire army.¡±

    Yara chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll supply you with some special potions to keep you active.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Zeidrick sighed helplessly and gave up.

    Keith¡¯s mouth twitched upon seeing Zeidrick¡¯s defeated appearance. As he was about to speak up, Yara turned serious. ¡°Okay, enough playing around. You know how important your role is. The better equipped our people are, the higher their chance of survival. How well things develop largely depends on you.¡±

    After Yara finished speaking, Zeidrick sat up straight with confidence. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know my duty.¡±

    Seeing Zeidrick¡¯s resolve, Keith suddenly felt useless. Zeidrick was only a few years older, yet he had such a heavy responsibility placed on his shoulders. In these turbulent times where everyone was working together to face the dangers of the Grandsky Realm, what was Keith doing?

    Keith had met many people in the military and government since he started living with his father and grandmother, and his vision expanded as a result. All those people had great aspirations and dreams and spent every day striving to make them a reality.

    Meanwhile, Keith spent three years improving his strength so he wouldn¡¯t implicate his family. Maybe he could be doing something more. Something greater. But what?

 Collect The World - Chapter 61

    Chapter 61

    Yara brought Keith to an armor stand wearing a set of Ancient grade equipment. From what Keith could see, it was armor meant for privates, the first rank in the military. Each of the ten military ranks had a designated armor to match, with the styles of higher ranks gaining more and more flair. Keith mentally gave a thumbs up to whoever came up with the designs, which were recognizable and stylish.

    With that said, Keith inspected the armor before him.

    [Ancient] Refined Mythril Helmet ¨C Level 500

    Description: +150 Primary stats, +5,000 Health, +200 Defense, -5% Damage from Slashing and Piercing attacks. Requires level 500 to wear.

    [Ancient] Refined Mythril Chestplate ¨C Level 500

    Description: +250 Primary stats, +15,000 Health, +400 Defense, -10% Damage from Slashing and Piercing attacks. Requires level 500 to wear.

    [Ancient] Refined Mythril Gauntlets ¨C Level 500

    Description: +100 Primary stats, +3,000 Health, +100 Defense, -3% Damage from Slashing and Piercing attacks. Requires level 500 to wear.

    [Ancient] Refined Mythril Tassets ¨C Level 500

    Description: +150 Primary stats, +5,000 health, +200 Defense, -5% Damage from Slashing and Piercing attacks. Requires level 500 to wear.

    [Ancient] Refined Mythril Boots ¨C Level 500

    Description: +150 Primary stats, +5,000 Health, +200 Defense, -5% Damage from Slashing and Piercing attacks. Requires level 500 to wear.

    Altogether, the set gave 800 primary stats, 33,000 health, 1,100 defense, and 28% damage reduction to slashing and piercing attacks. Compared to the Mythic grade set, it was about 30% stronger overall.

    Yara nodded satisfactorily and glanced at Keith, ¡°What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Keith mused aloud. ¡°Pretty standard. No cons, but no pros either. It¡¯s missing enchantments like attack speed, movement speed, and magic resistance.¡±

    ¡°Huh!¡± Zedrick scoffed from behind, ¡°What do you mean no pros? You think we can outfit millions with the enchantments you mentioned? This set is easy to mass produce, and the resources needed are as low as possible.¡±

    Keith¡¯s lips twitched.

    He clearly hit a nerve. However, it was true he didn¡¯t consider the cost and time needed to craft the armor.

    Yara added from the side, ¡°You should know yourself how much you invested in your current armor and accessories. Now try doing the same for twenty million people. And have you thought about salaries? Food? Supplies? Housing?¡±

    Yara immediately went into a three-minute-long tirade about the costs of maintaining a military, leaving Keith speechless. What the hell? Not only did Keith need to listen to his dad praise the greatness of civilization occasionally, but now he had to hear his grandma complain about running a nation. Did his ignorant comment justify this punishment? He didn¡¯t think so!

    ¡°Ahem,¡± Yara coughed into her hand and finished, ¡°and that¡¯s why paying taxes is important.¡±

    Keith hid his grievances and repeatedly nodded to show his understanding, ¡°You work so hard, grandma. You¡¯re awesome!¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Hmm!¡± Yara raised her chin as an elegant crane would.

    ¡°Hey, you two,¡± Zeidrick called out in exasperation. ¡°You do know I¡¯m working here, right?¡±

    Zeidrick desperately wanted to yell ¡®Get the hell out!¡¯ but seeing how the other party was his boss, he toned it down a few levels. At most, he could be a little passive-aggressive.

    Yara rolled her eyes and pulled Keith to another part of the warehouse. She checked if they were alone before pulling out a translucent orb the size of a fist. With a smug grin, she asked Keith, ¡°Do you know what this is?¡±

    ¡°A gem?¡± Keith guessed as he leaned forward to get a better look. Squinting, he saw a small flat rock floating in the center of the orb. It had ridges riddled with spots of blue and green. At first glance, it was nothing special, though the longer he looked, the more things he discovered. When he saw a cluster of cities in one area, he had a sudden thought. Wasn¡¯t this a miniature model of the Innate Dimension?

    A quick cast of Inspect proved him right.

    [Special] Innate Dimension Core

    Description: Grants the holder administrative authority over the Innate Dimension and its inhabitants. Fuse with the remaining Dimension Cores to become the absolute ruler of the Grandsky Realm and unlock access to the (Restricted).

    Passive Skill 1: Receive alerts when unidentified lifeforms enter the Innate Dimension.

    Active Skill 1: Surveillance. Grants an aerial view of a targeted section of the Innate Dimension. No cooldown. No mana cost.

    Active Skill 2: Rift Relocation. Freely transfer the location of any Rifts within the Innate Dimension. No cooldown. No mana cost.

    ¡°Uhh.¡± Keith had no words to voice his astonishment. An item like this actually existed?

    Yara was visibly pleased upon seeing Keith¡¯s expression. Waving the Dimension Core in Keith¡¯s face, she chuckled, ¡°Surprised?¡±

    Keith¡¯s lips felt dry as he asked, ¡°Does this mean you¡¯re the ruler of the Innate Dimension?¡±

    ¡°Eh, according to the System, sure,¡± Yara shrugged and stored the Dimension Core away. ¡°Whether other people view me that way is up to them.¡±

    Keith figured it was best to keep this item on the down low. He expected many people wouldn¡¯t be happy.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Yara suddenly gave Keith a mischievous smile. ¡°What''s really important is the administrative authority the Dimension Core gives.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean exactly?¡± Keith raised an eyebrow, feeling that his grandma was up to no good.

    ¡°Give me a moment,¡± Yara giggled and began interacting with the air in front of her. Keith waited for a few minutes when suddenly, a notification he¡¯d never seen before popped up.

    [Event] Serenity Canyon Expansion

    Description: The Innate Nation is exploring Serenity Canyon and requests your aid. Gain contribution points by completing the following missions:

    Mission 1: Provide the Innate Nation with information regarding monster locations and their corresponding abilities, spawn rates, and item drops.

    Mission 2: Provide the Innate Nation with the location of ore veins.

    ¡­

    Mission 29: Find out the abilities of Serenity Canyon¡¯s Monster Lord.

    ¡­

    Mission 104: Provide the Innate Nation with undiscovered herbs.

    All in all, there were too many missions to count, so Keith skipped to the end.

    Exchange contribution points for items at the Innate Nation¡¯s armory in Camp Glory. Furthermore, those ranked in the top 100 will receive special prizes when the event ends!

    Public Leaderboard:

    Rank 1:

    Rank 2:

    ¡­

    Rank 100:

    Keith was silent as he processed the notification. There was too much to take in. After a moment, he glanced at his grandma and asked, ¡°How many people received this notice?¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Yara counted with her fingers and answered, ¡°basically everyone in the military and the adventurer groups working with us.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Keith¡¯s eyebrows twitched. Why did she need to use her fingers to count that? There were way more than 10, okay?

    Right then, Zeidrick found them and ran over, huffing and puffing. ¡°Boss, why isn¡¯t there a mission for smithing equipment? This is discrimination!¡±

    Hearing Zeidrick¡¯s complaints, Yara simply snorted. ¡°I would gladly hand out some contribution points if you did everything yourself. However, not only do we provide you with the materials you use, we pay for your tools and give you a handsome salary. If anything, I should be the one getting contribution points.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t think about it that way,¡± Zeidrick sighed emotionally and retreated to his workspace.

    Watching their interaction, Keith was amazed at his grandma¡¯s ability to speak a bunch of nonsense. Since she included the military in the event, why could they earn contribution points and not Zeidrick? Didn¡¯t the government provide the military with equipment and a salary all the same? Why was Zeidrick treated differently?

    Yara noticed Keith¡¯s accusatory gaze and coughed awkwardly. Seeing this, Keith smirked, ¡°You can¡¯t afford him, can you?¡±

    Yara¡¯s eyes widened, and she quickly covered Keith¡¯s mouth. ¡°Shh, don¡¯t let him hear you. Once that kid realizes his value, he¡¯ll definitely ask for more benefits.¡±

    At this moment, Keith suddenly realized that his grandma was a bit of a moneygrubber. Should he secretly inform Zeidrick about worker¡¯s rights? No, no. If he did it so soon, his grandma would connect it to him. It was better to wait for some time. Until then, Keith gave Zeidrick a silent prayer in his heart.

 Collect The World - Chapter 62

    Chapter 62

    In Serenity Canyon, besides the Innate Nation¡¯s budding town, there was one other place with civilization: a crystal clear lake to the south. Thousands of huts floated on the lake¡¯s surface while wooden walkways connected them to create a bustling city home to mutated alligators, snakes, frogs, turtles, gorillas, and giant insects.

    While monsters in the Grandsky Realm valued strength first and foremost, some still delved into the various crafts. On one street, a Steelskin Gorilla hawked his wares, mostly armor, to the strolling monsters while a massive grasshopper across from it chopped up meat with its scythes before hanging it on a rack. Nearby, a human-sized beaver with long fangs was selling baskets of fish. There were hundreds of monsters trading their goods at any given time.

    Underneath the floating city, a gigantic black-scaled alligator rested atop a mountain of gems and shiny ore sitting at the lake''s bottom. The beast¡¯s four limbs were thick and sturdy while spikes lined its tail. The nearly one hundred thousand monsters living in the city above all submitted to this creature, for he was Monster Lord Cangu, ruler of Serenity Canyon.

    [Divine, Monster Lord] Cangu the Black ¨C Level 795

    Health: 65,000,000/65,000,000

    Previously sleeping, a sudden feeling caused Cangu to open his eyes, revealing two red slit-shaped pupils. His Predatory Instinct skill told him someone was gazing at him. Wondering who would dare, the Monster Lord looked around in anger before honing in on the surrounding reeds and plant life. The intruder was somehow using them as a medium to spy upon it. Revealing his jagged teeth with a grin, Cangu activated his Tracking skill, causing a hazy white line to appear that led into the distance. He immediately went out in pursuit.

    Meanwhile, standing on top of a tree branch some three miles away from the monster city, Gloria opened her eyes after seeing Cangu rushing in her direction. Her expression ashen, she shouted at her teammates, ¡°The monster lord found me, run!¡±

    Gloria¡¯s team specialized in tracking and scouting, so they knew they couldn¡¯t retreat to their base lest they expose its whereabouts. Thankfully, they trained for this exact scenario and reacted quickly, so after hearing Gloria¡¯s warning, her teammates split up and ran in different directions.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    The young elf returned her palm to the tree trunk and was amazed to see Cangu riding a twenty-foot-tall wave of water through the forest at an astonishing speed. The Monster Lord reached her in moments, and as soon as the two made eye contact, Gloria stepped into the tree trunk and emerged from another tree three miles away. Heart racing, she placed her palm on the bark and prepared for a cat and mouse chase, only to find Cangu standing motionless.

    Unbeknownst to Gloria, Cangu¡¯s mind was a mess. At first, he thought the intruder was some ignorant monster or a scout sent by a neighboring Monster Lord. What he didn¡¯t expect to find was an elf. While Serenity Canyon was along the edge of the Grandsky Realm and far from the forces of the three dimensions, he still knew not to pick a fight with them. After all, he still remembered the day a group of them came and killed the previous Monster Lord of Serenity Canyon.

    Thinking it was best to lay low and not catch any attention, Cangu spun around and returned to his lair, much to Gloria¡¯s surprise. She couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of the situation. Still, the encounter with Cangu revealed many things. First, he could detect someone spying on him from several miles away. Second, he was far faster than his large size would suggest. Third, he had over a hundred thousand subordinates ranging from level 500-700.

    Gaining such vital intelligence without losing any lives made her mission a great success, so it was time to return to base and give them the good news after regrouping with her team.

    Meanwhile, back at the Innate Nation¡¯s only foothold in the Grandsky Realm, officials finally decided on the town¡¯s name. Now called New Hope, the town was constantly expanding in population and size, with many key infrastructures coming into place as the hours passed. Most important was the Mana Reactor-powered Mana Barrier covering the entire town, providing sturdy defense and a sense of security.

    One key location in New Hope was the building used by the Central Intelligence Division. No matter how big or small, any information related to the Grandsky Realm passed through the ears of the officers working within. One report after another came in from the various scouting parties exploring Serenity Canyon, and after half a day, a map of Serenity Canyon came into being.

    Finally, when word came down from above, all the adventurer parties that passed the vetting process charged toward the north in a mad rush to increase their levels and gain contribution points, while hundreds of small parties of the military¡¯s finest followed in their wake.

    Not wanting to miss out on the excitement, Keith contacted his Mom via the tablet and asked, ¡°Do you want to party up?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I was just about to ask you the same,¡± Mariane replied. ¡°Your aunt is here too.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great! We¡¯ve never hunted monsters together, have we?¡± Keith smiled happily before sighing, ¡°Too bad Annallee and Elora aren¡¯t here.¡±

    ¡°Funny you say that. Did you know the party Elora belongs to is one of the adventurer teams allowed at New Hope?¡± Mariane revealed.

    ¡°No way? I didn¡¯t expect her party to have such a high status,¡± Keith replied astonishedly.

    ¡°Me either. Anyway, tell me your location so we can head out,¡± Mariane said while cracking her knuckles in anticipation.

    A few minutes later, Keith joined up with his Mom and Aunt before leaving the safety of New Hope. This would be the first time he fought with his family, and he didn¡¯t want to mess things up. More importantly, he wanted to show them his progress.

 Collect The World - Chapter 63

    Chapter 63

    New Hope had a population of around 75,000 by the late afternoon. As soon as the lockdown lifted, over 50,000 ventured into the forest in small parties ranging from 5 to 30 people.

    What followed was a complete massacre.

    Even though the monsters around New Hope were between levels 500-550, the 50,000 soldiers and adventurers belonged to the top echelon of the Innate Nation. They were the cream of the crop, all top-tier experts with decades of combat experience, so fighting monsters some 50 levels above them made no difference.

    For a time, the sounds of beasts howling and metal clashing rang throughout the forest.

    Whenever newcomers came across another party in battle, they held no thoughts of causing trouble and moved on. There wasn¡¯t a single instance of kill-stealing or robbing natural treasures. The adventurer teams vetted by the military all had integrity and a sense of loyalty to their country. They knew what was at stake and were grateful for the chance to enter the Grandsky Realm early.

    The chaos gradually died down as everyone spread out.

    Even if they couldn¡¯t enter the south, there was more than enough room for fifty million people to hunt, much less 50,000. Serenity Canyon was as large as the Innate Dimension, and it would take a level 500 individual a whole day to cross from one side to the other if they sprinted at full speed with no obstacles in the way.

    Besides monsters, Serenity Canyon held many natural treasures. Herbs, hidden chests, ore veins, special trees, gems, and other secrets were just waiting to be discovered. Adventurer teams and military squads specialized in finding such treasures had a field day exploring Serenity Canyon¡¯s uncharted territory.

    One of them was a middle-aged elf with flowers weaved into her hair. Her glowing eyes darted left and right as she dashed through the forest floor with surprising agility. Eventually, her ocular skill spotted motes of light coming from some tangled vines in front. Landing nearby, she looked around for any signs of danger before approaching the oddity. As the elf neared, a dark wooden chest with glowing lines revealed itself under the scrutiny of her eye-based skill.

    ¡°Jackpot!¡± She exclaimed with joy. After ensuring there were no traps, she cut apart the vines holding the treasure chest and caught it as it fell. Placing it at her feet, she opened the chest immediately, finding a pair of Ancient-grade earrings and some gems. Pocketing the loot, she went off in search of more treasure to find.

    At the same time, a group of four dwarven brothers stood before a fifty-foot-long crack running across the ground. The sound of a rodent chattering came from below, and soon enough, a tiny rat jumped out, carrying a clump of dirt in a satchel hung around its neck. One of the dwarves bent over and picked the little guy up before pouring the contents of the satchel into his mouth. With a disgusted expression, he swallowed the pile of dirt in one gulp to activate his innate ability.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°How¡¯s it?¡± His brothers asked while keeping a vigilant watch on the surroundings.

    The face of the dwarf who swallowed the dirt lit up. ¡°There¡¯s something called Mana Imbued Iron down there.¡±

    The four brothers promptly pulled out pickaxes and shovels from their inventory and looked at each other with a knowing glance.

    ****

    After leaving New Hope, Keith was about to ask where Uncle Doven was when his mother suddenly summoned him with a wave of her hand. It took Keith a moment to realize who it was since Uncle Doven appeared in his true form, a fierce-looking suit of black armor. A moment later, Mariane merged into Uncle Doven, giving Keith strange thoughts. He still had trouble accepting the fact Uncle Doven was an existence similar to a pet.

    Pushing the thought aside, Keith looked over at his aunt, hidden behind a black cloak, and asked, ¡°Did you ever hit level 500?¡±

    Serilla sighed, ¡°I did, though it seems I used a bunch of effort for nothing.¡±

    Keith realized what she meant. She worked for three years to push through the last few levels when she could¡¯ve waited until the Grandsky Realm opened and gained the same experience in a week.

    ¡°I¡¯m already over it,¡± Serilla shrugged.

    The three had been walking in a triangle formation with Mariane in the front when she suddenly stopped and said, ¡°Focus up, monster ahead. Plant-type, level 550. Keith, stay back and watch how your aunt and I fight.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Keith replied as Serilla vanished in a cloud of smoke. Up ahead was a Blood-sucking Venus Plant. It had a clam-shaped head with sharp barbs lining its roots. Previously motionless, it sprung into action when Mariane approached, sending five roots her way.

    In the back, Keith wondered what weapon his mother would use to fight when bandages slipped through the cracks of Mariane¡¯s armor and hovered around her. Recognizing it as the bandages his mother always wore under her clothes, Keith watched as intricate engravings inscribed on the cloth lit up, turning it blue.

    As if it had a mind of its own, a few bandages snapped forward and wrapped around the roots before they could reach Mariane. Held in place, Mariane wrapped her right arm around the active bandages and tugged, forcibly ripping the Blood-sucking Venus Plant out of the ground.

    ¡°Heave-ho!¡± She yelled as she swung it around, causing it to collide with one tree after the next, before slamming it into the ground with a loud thud. The plant monster recovered quickly and spat out a glob of poison from its mouth. The attack reached Mariane instantly, but one of her bandage appendages smacked against the ground and sent her out of harm¡¯s way. The glob of poison collided with a nearby tree trunk and melted through it in seconds.

    ¡°You missed!¡± Mariane taunted as she traveled around like a spider, her bandage appendages giving her an incredible traversal ability.

    The plant monster let out a chilling screech before mimicking Mariane¡¯s movement style with its roots and barreling towards her. Mariane wasn¡¯t afraid of confrontation, so she closed in. Before they collided, shadowy tendrils rose from the ground and wrapped around the plant monster, holding it in place.

    ¡°Taste my punch!¡± Mariane roared as she drove her fist into the plant monster¡¯s neck. It let out a shrill cry as it flew back, but not before Mariane¡¯s bandages pulled it back for another beating. One boom after another rang out as the Blood-sucking Venus Plant¡¯s health plummeted under Mariane¡¯s barrage. When it was half-dead, the shadow tendrils sealing it suddenly ripped it to pieces.

    ¡°Haha, nice kill!¡± Mariane cackled with her hands on her hips as she stood over her vanquished foe.

    Meanwhile, Keith was speechless after witnessing his mother¡¯s fighting style. Why did it seem to match her personality so well?

 Collect The World - Chapter 64

    Chapter 64

    Keith found that hunting monsters had never been easier. With Mariane attacking like a madman and Serilla harassing from the shadows, all Keith needed to do was stand in the back and shoot. Although a few spells accidentally hit his Mom at the start, he quickly grew accustomed to her combat style and no longer made such mistakes.

    And so, the family of three bonded while hunting monsters all day before returning to New Hope in the evening. Everyone was thrilled with their gains. In a short 8 hours, Keith managed to level up six times, reaching level 430, while Mariane hit level 473 and Serilla level 501.

    Upon arriving near New Hope, Keith found a large party going on just outside the town. Intrigued, Mariane called out to someone as they approached and asked what was happening. Apparently, there were too few restaurants to accommodate everyone¡¯s needs, so someone decided to have a barbecue with their team. Once one person took out a grill and another some alcohol, things naturally progressed to create the current scene.

    Adventurers usually had chairs and tables in their inventory, so everyone made themselves comfortable as they ate burgers and hotdogs while recounting their experiences during the day.

    After thanking that person for explaining, Mariane sniffed the air and followed the smell to a row of people cooking on grills. She walked up and asked, ¡°How much?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s free,¡± the man replied and pointed his spatula to a long table filled with freshly cooked patties and hotdogs. ¡°Take what you need.¡±

    A few minutes later, Keith sat before a large bonfire next to his Mom and Aunt. He kept his eyes peeled while he ate, and his efforts paid off when he spotted his sister talking with a group of heroic youths in the distance. Keith quickly finished his food before pulling out a mirror to check his looks. Once he tidied up some wrinkles on his shirt, he strode up to his sister and exclaimed, ¡°Elora!¡±

    The people Elora was talking with turned in his direction. Elora was pleasantly surprised to see her little brother and quickly embraced him in a tight hug. ¡°Keith, I didn¡¯t know you were here.¡±

    ¡°Haha,¡± Keith smirked. ¡°How could I miss out on all the fun? Are these your team members from Silver Fox?¡±

    A slender woman with smooth silver hair standing across from Elora spoke up as she inspected Keith. ¡°I¡¯m Kate, the leader of Silver Fox. You must be Elora¡¯s brother?¡±

    Keith gave Kate a friendly nod. ¡°Thank you for taking care of my sister.¡±

    A young man beside Kate interjected, ¡°It should be Elora taking care of us.¡±

    ¡°Right, right. Elora¡¯s healing ability is unmatched,¡± another commented.

    Keith suppressed a laugh after seeing everybody grimace at the mention of Elora¡¯s innate ability. After receiving Elora¡¯s love these past years, they had clearly developed some trauma. Keith joked, ¡°Too bad it knocks out whoever she heals.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    Everybody laughed, having experienced Elora¡¯s healing plenty of times. After that, Keith spent the next hour getting to know Elora¡¯s team before returning to his Mom. Observing the night sky, he asked, ¡°Should we head home?¡±

    Mariane waved her hand. ¡°All those security checkpoints are too troublesome. Let¡¯s camp out here.¡±

    Keith shrugged. ¡°Whatever works.¡±

    Many others had the same idea, and soon thousands of large and small tents surrounded the west side of New Hope. When Keith awoke, most people had already returned to the jungle to hunt and explore. Serilla was already up, and when she saw Keith exit his tent, she forcibly woke her sister lest Mariane slept the morning away.

    After breakfast, the three prepared to set off when they heard someone shouting in the distance. ¡°Tired of endless bugs buzzing around your head? Get your Super Mega-Giga Bug Repellent Spray here! 2,500 gold a bottle! Only a hundred left!¡±

    Mariane¡¯s eyes lit up, and she quickly rushed to the hawker. ¡°Give me five, no, ten!¡±

    The middle-aged man stroked his beard and laughed as he took Mariane¡¯s gold and handed her ten small bottles of yellowish liquid. ¡°Thank you for your patronage, miss.¡±

    In the distance, Keith was amazed someone dared sell a bottle of bug repellent for so much when the auction house sold them for less than ten gold. Unfortunately, the magic network hadn¡¯t extended to Serenity Canyon yet, which allowed this salesman to make a massive profit.

    Mariane quickly sprayed herself with one of the bottles, only to become stunned. Enraged, she slammed her hand onto the vendor¡¯s table and shouted, ¡°You slimeball! Why didn¡¯t you say this smelled like manure?¡±

    The middle-aged man hastily said, ¡°Miss, hang on. The bugs in Serenity Canyon are over level 100, so regular bug repellent isn¡¯t effective. I spent all night trying different recipes before finding one that worked. I guarantee that while the smell is a bit off, no bugs will come within thirty feet of you!¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah? Neither will anybody else!¡± Mariane raged.

    Keith approached to smooth things over, only to gag when he caught a whiff of the leftover particles in the air. Mariane wasn¡¯t kidding when she said it smelled like manure. Seeing his Mom on the verge of punching the man in the face, Keith said, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry, you can use a cleanliness ring to remove the smell, right?¡±

    Enlightened, Mariane quickly did as Keith suggested. Now clean, she threatened the man with a raised fist before turning to leave.

    ¡°Wait, miss,¡± the middle-aged man coughed with an apologetic expression. ¡°I¡¯ll pay a good price for any herbs you find in Serenity Canyon.¡±

    Mariane raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why should I give them to you when I can exchange them with the military for contribution points?¡±

    The middle-aged man confidently patted his chest. ¡°As a grandmaster alchemist, money isn¡¯t something I lack.¡±

    ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll keep you in mind,¡± Mariane waved her hand and walked away.

    Just as Keith was about to follow his mother, he suddenly thought of something and turned to the alchemist. ¡°Sir, how will I know you¡¯re giving me a fair deal when nobody knows the value of the herbs?¡±

    Through centuries of extensive research, alchemists had long discovered all the possible uses for the herbs in the Innate Dimension, so their value hardly fluctuated. However, the herbs in the Grandsky Realm were a mystery. Nobody knew which ones were valuable. Even Yara couldn¡¯t help in this regard; she wasn¡¯t an alchemist and couldn¡¯t offer guidance.

    In the face of Keith¡¯s doubts, the middle-aged man smiled confidently and answered, ¡°You could say the same for the military. Nobody knows what¡¯s what. So if you want gold, come to me. If you want contribution points, go to the military.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough.¡±

    Keith found it reasonable and caught up to his mother, his mind racing.

    Thanks to investing so much into the Farming Simulator, Keith could grow level 400 herbs in less than a day, level 300 herbs in hours, and level 200 herbs in under an hour. The Farming Simulator already brought in massive profits, but what if he started growing herbs found in the Grandsky Realm? How much would he make then?

    The only problem with that idea was nobody knew how to price the herbs, so he didn¡¯t know what to grow first to take advantage of the situation. What he needed was luck, and he knew just where to find it.

 Collect The World - Chapter 65

    Chapter 65

    Over the next three days, Keith continuously fought monsters alongside his Mother and Aunt. The monsters he encountered were either plant-type or bug-type, with most of them being new species with never before seen abilities.

    The gains were plentiful.

    Including a level from the Rift Simulator, Keith went from level 430 to 451, Mariane went from 473 to 480, and Serilla went from 501 to 503.

    While they hunted, Keith kept an eye out for any herbs. Unfortunately, his herblore skill was barely over level 100, so he unintentionally destroyed over 90% of the herbs he picked. Thankfully, the plant-type monsters had a chance to drop herbs as loot, so he was lucky to acquire 14 herbs of different types by the third day.

    In the evening, Keith separated from his Mom and Aunt upon arriving at New Hope¡¯ west gate, giddy with anticipation. He could finally act on his plan now that he had so many herbs in hand. Hastily making his way through the crowded streets, Keith went to the residential district.

    Ten lefts and eight rights later, he arrived before a house so out of place that anyone passing gasped in disbelief. It was extremely gaudy. The tiles on the roof were made of literal gold, while the other parts of the house consisted of different expensive metals and exotic wood. By living in a place like this, it was like the owner was afraid others wouldn¡¯t know they were wealthy.

    The owner of this house was no stranger to Keith. It was Mariane and Serilla¡¯s father, Hoid Walker, making him Keith¡¯s grandfather. Around two years ago, Keith studied under Hoid to learn the basics of alchemy. During those three months, he discovered that Mariane and Serilla hadn¡¯t spoken to Hoid in decades. The two deeply resented their father for putting them through such intense training during their youth, and none of Keith¡¯s efforts to repair their relationship could resolve their enmity.

    To be honest, Keith didn¡¯t really like his grandfather¡¯s personality, but he didn¡¯t want to give up on his family so easily, so he kept in touch with Hoid over the magic network after studying under him. It mainly involved Keith sending updates on his life and Hoid replying with short messages.

    However, as much as Hoid was dislikable, he had an incredible innate ability, which was why Yara chose him centuries ago. Hoid¡¯s innate skill allowed him to tilt luck in or against his favor. If it was against him, he gained luck energy whenever something unfortunate happened to him. He could then spend that energy to influence things in his favor.

    It was that ability that Keith needed.

    Taking a breath, Keith approached and knocked on the door. A moment later, an eye peeped through the door¡¯s eyehole before the door opened slightly to reveal an older man with thick eyebrows and short cyan hair. Hoid was wearing a luxurious silk robe as he gave Keith a wary look, ¡°Are you here to take away my luck?¡±

    Keith was stunned. ¡°How did you know?¡±

    Hoid scoffed and looked down at Keith condescendingly. ¡°Thirty-two people have visited me today, all to steal my hard-earned luck. Hmph, it¡¯s like all I am is a resource for people to take advantage of. Shameless thieves, the lot of them!¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    After saying his piece, Hoid shut the door in Keith¡¯s face, leaving him speechless. Thankfully, Keith knew what to do and quickly shouted, ¡°Wait, I have a business proposition for you. We could make a lot of money!¡±

    This time, the door opened a little bit wider. Hoid gave Keith a suspicious look for a good minute before he said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside.¡±

    After entering the house, Hoid led Keith through a short hallway filled with various artwork. Yet, as soon as Keith showed the slightest interest in one particular painting, Hoid warned, ¡°Careful, these pieces are more expensive than you could imagine.¡±

    Keith looked at Hoid in disbelief. Really? There were over two feet between Keith and the wall, yet Hoid was worried that merely gazing at the art would damage it. At first, Keith thought Hoid was joking, but when he saw Hoid¡¯s expression, Keith forced a smile, ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m way too poor to comprehend their value.¡±

    Hoid nodded matter-of-factly with a relieved nod. ¡°At least you know.¡±

    Continuing past the hallway, they entered a tidy living room. Hoid sat on the sofa and gestured for Keith to sit in a chair covered in some protective transparent film. It was the only furniture like that, meaning it was probably for guests. Keith found Hoid¡¯s behavior amusing instead of getting irritated as he sat down.

    ¡°Well?¡± Hoid leaned forward with a snobbish smile. ¡°Explain why I should spend my luck on you.¡±

    Seeing that Hoid was interested, Keith explained his plan and immediately won Hoid over. After all, Hoid was a grandmaster alchemist with close ties to the military and knew the ins and outs of the current herb situation.

    After several rounds of haggling back and forth, they decided on an 80/20 split. 80 to Keith and 20 to Hoid. With that settled, Hoid appeared even more excited than Keith and asked, ¡°How fast can you grow herbs? In what quantities?¡±

    ¡°150 at a time, though I¡¯m not sure how long it¡¯ll take to grow herbs from the Grandsky Realm,¡± explained Keith.

    Hoid frowned in displeasure. ¡°Only 150? What do you need to increase that?¡±

    Keith was satisfied with having 150 plots, but Hoid clearly had higher standards. When Keith said that money could permenately increase the growth speed and quantity, Hoid relaxed with a smile. ¡°How much would 10 billion improve your farm?¡±

    Keith blanked out. 10 billion? How could he casually throw out such a huge number? Maybe he meant 10 billion grains of rice?

    Hoid was visibly pleased by Keith¡¯s reaction and asked, ¡°What? Is 10 billion gold not enough?¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Keith took a deep breath, ¡°I appreciate the gesture, but I don¡¯t want handouts to improve my innate skill.¡±

    Hoid turned hostile. ¡°Hmph, who said I was giving it to you for free? I¡¯ll invest in your farm to increase its production ability, and in exchange, I¡¯ll get 50% of any profit made from it for five years.¡±

    Hoid¡¯s offer struck Keith with indecision. One side of him didn¡¯t want to leech off others to get stronger, while the other side said, ¡®slimeballs, that¡¯s 10 billion gold.¡¯

    Hoid noticed Keith¡¯s struggle and added, ¡°What¡¯s the problem? It¡¯s common practice for businesses to invest in up-and-coming youths. I¡¯ve done it hundreds of times myself.¡±

    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s okay then,¡± Keith relented when he considered it an equivalent exchange.

    Five minutes later, Keith and Hoid each held a paper copy of the contract signifying their partnership. After that, Hoid promptly transferred 10 billion gold to Keith¡¯s inventory, leaving Keith lightheaded. Unfortunately, those billions quickly became less than a million as Keith continuously upgraded his Farming Simulator. He¡¯d never spent so much money in so little time.

    ¡°Well?¡± Hoid inquired calmly and sipped from his tea.

    Keith clenched his hands, took a deep breath, and shared, ¡°I have 502 plots now. The speed improved multiple times over as well.¡±

    ¡°Not bad.¡± Hoid nodded and placed fifty-four herbs onto the nearby table. ¡°These are the fifty-four different herbs the military has collected so far. Let¡¯s see which one¡¯s the most valuable, shall we?¡±

 Collect The World - Chapter 66

    Chapter 66

    Hoid had plenty of experience using his innate gift, and finding what herb was the most valuable simply required him to place a numbered coin before each herb on the table, then toss a set of dice. When the total count of the dice came to 34, Hoid pointed to the herb with the coin numbered 34 in front of it and said, ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡±

    Keith found it somewhat absurd. ¡°It¡¯s that easy?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly,¡± Hoid shook his head and explained. ¡°There¡¯d be no way for me to find the right herb if I didn¡¯t get involved by investing 10 billion gold in you. By doing so, I invited myself to a great deal of risk, and only then would finding which herb was the most valuable result in a positive outcome for me.¡±

    Keith hmmed in understanding as Hoid continued, ¡°Also, finding out which herb we needed cost me some of my luck energy. I¡¯d need to endure three weeks of misfortune to regain what it took.¡±

    Keith had a decent idea of what that entailed. Whenever Hoid activated his innate ability¡¯s misfortune mode, he¡¯d quickly fall victim to all sorts of pitiful experiences, like birds pooping on his head, frequently tripping or breaking fragile things. That was the only way for him to gain luck energy.

    ¡°Well,¡± Hoid picked up the herb called Moon Dew Leaf and handed it to Keith. ¡°How long for this to grow?¡±

    Keith stored the herb in his Collection Grimoire before placing it on a free plot in his Farming Simulator. When he saw the timer, he exclaimed, ¡°6 days and 13 hours.¡±

    Hoid wasn¡¯t concerned. ¡°I know some people with farming-focused innate gifts trying to grow herbs from Serenity Canyon, and they take about just as long.¡±

    Keith thought of a problem and said, ¡°I get seeds whenever I harvest a fully grown herb on my farm, but now that I have so many plots, it¡¯ll take several months before I have enough Moon Dew Leaf seeds to fill them all.¡±

    ¡°A small matter,¡± Hoid waved his hand. ¡°The military should have acquired a large stock of Serenity Canyon¡¯s herbs by now. I¡¯ll go there and get what we need. Oh, you should come too, or you might break something valuable while I¡¯m gone.¡±

    Holding back the desire to comment, Keith followed Hoid through the busy streets until they arrived before the military¡¯s contribution exchange center. The place was absolutely packed. There were over thirty counters for exchanging resources, all of which had long lines, showing that the military had plenty of alluring items people wanted.

    While waiting in line with Hoid, Keith witnessed all sorts of transactions. He even saw someone exchange for the armor set Zeidrick was crafting earlier.

    Finally, when it was their turn, Hoid passed an ID badge to the person operating the counter and said, ¡°I want 501 Moon Dew Leaf herbs.¡±

    The young lady glanced at the card and was stunned. Grandmaster Alchemist? Level-5 Authority? As far as she knew, only a handful of people had Level-5 Authority in the military, and anyone who did was a top-level figure. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t embarrass herself and instantly recovered from her shock.

    ¡°One moment,¡± she said, manipulating her magic tablet. A second later, a small box arrived atop the counter in a brief flash of light.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    Keith was astonished when he saw this.

    The last time he went to an item exchange was with his Aunt. Back then, the clerk had to find the goods in a warehouse in person. However, just now, the items arrived in a second. Based on Keith¡¯s guess, there was some sort of smart warehouse capable of identifying and then teleporting items based on commands given by a magic tablet. The complexity of the formations involved here was unfathomable. Whoever came up with them was a genius.

    After leaving the contribution exchange center with the herbs, Keith¡¯s opinion of his grandfather rose. Hoid could¡¯ve used his unlimited access to buy out the military¡¯s stock of Moon Dew Leaves to turn a profit once people discovered its value, but he didn¡¯t, showing that while Hoid loved making money, he had a bottom line.

    When the exchange center was out of sight, Hoid turned to Keith. ¡°Okay, I need to get back to work. Those old fellows in the military want me to spend my hard-earned luck discovering new potion recipes. Just because I¡¯ve been saving up these past few decades, they think they can take advantage of me? Hmph.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep you updated on the farm,¡± Keith replied, somewhat surprised that Hoid had such an important job considering his annoying personality.

    Hoid gave a curt nod before separating from Keith, but he stopped after taking a few steps. Looking to the side, he asked, ¡°How are they?¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Keith answered, knowing who Hoid was referring to. ¡°Did you know they didn¡¯t talk to each other for 20 years? It was only recently they made up, and now they hang out all the time. You should reach out. What do you have to lose?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± Hoid muttered before walking off.

    Keith sighed upon seeing Hoid¡¯s indecisive attitude. Why were his mother and grandfather so stubborn? Mariane demanded that Hoid apologize, and Hoid was too prideful to admit he was wrong. Why couldn¡¯t they both just move on?

    Shaking his head, Keith decided to find his dad and see how he was doing.

    ****

    Over the following month, New Hope¡¯s borders expanded every day. Countless buildings popped up to satisfy the ever-increasing population who went out to explore Serenity Canyon, resulting in unfathomable quantities of resources to pour into the military warehouses. With those resources, artisans under the military researched day and night to push the boundaries of their skills. Whether it be adventurers or tradespeople, everyone was leveling up.

    Besides building infrastructure for the populace of New Hope, the government spared no expense to defend the gateway leading to the Innate Dimension. Fortunately, New Hope sat at the bottom of Serenity Canyon¡¯s eastern border, so the military had a several-mile-high wall to take advantage of. All the public knew was miners worked day and night to dig into the wall. As for what was going on inside? That was classified.

    The only geographical disadvantage New Hope had was the bowl-shaped lakes to its north and south. Due to them being slightly above New Hope, an enemy would simply need to create a small opening to drown New Hope in water, so the military built fortified dams at the two lakes to prevent such a disaster.

    During the fifth week after the gateway opened, adventurers had almost fully explored Serenity¡¯s Canyon¡¯s northern, eastern, and central regions when one party discovered something startling: a beehive the size of a Rift.

    The part of the hive above the surface was hundreds of feet high and thousands of feet wide, with the underground section being a mystery. It was a structure so large it boggled the mind. More importantly, the party that discovered the beehive returned to New Hope with an item that sent waves throughout the population.

    [Mythic] Life Essence Honey ¨C Level 550

    Description: Consume to permanently increase Health by 1, Mana by 1, and a chance to raise a random primary stat. Effect decreases the more it''s consumed.

    The revelation of an item on par with an elixir caught everyone¡¯s attention, and considering how large the beehive was, it was sure to contain plenty of Life Essence Honey to go around.

    The discovery came just as the long-anticipated broadcast tower appeared in New Hope, extending the coverage of the magic network into the city, so news about the bee hive and its Life Essence Honey spread like wildfire.

    Not long after, the military deployed several squads to probe the hive and learned a great deal. After the preliminary scouting, the military coordinated with the various adventurer groups to devise a battle plan before setting out the next day.

 Collect The World - Chapter 67

    Chapter 67

    Keith, Mariane, and Serilla stepped through the portal and arrived at the forward operating base not far from the hive. Upon arriving, a soldier handed them a folder and assigned them to spot #412. The folder contained a detailed map and all the known information on the types of bees in the hive.

    Half an hour later, Keith¡¯s group arrived at their spot, a small hill about a mile from the hive. According to the files in the folder, the operation would begin in two hours, so with time to kill, Keith sneaked up a nearby tree to catch a glimpse of the hive.

    What entered his vision left him breathless.

    The hive was simply massive. Hexagon-shaped holes covered its entire surface, with bees crawling all over. What amazed Keith the most was how the hive glittered under the sun. It was like a shining orange gem embedded in the ground.

    Just then, a bee flew overhead, the buzzing from its wings shaking the treetops and nearly knocking Keith off. He gulped. These weren¡¯t your ordinary, domesticated honey bees. They were massive, bear-sized creatures with deadly claws and stingers longer than a person¡¯s limbs.

    [Epic] Worker Bee ¨C Level 550

    Health: 200,000/200,000

    While Keith was now level 528 and had some skills over level 500, he had no confidence in facing the hive by himself. Worker Bees were merely the most common type of bee belonging to this hive. There were deadlier variants lurking within.

    Thankfully, he wouldn¡¯t be fighting alone. According to his Aunt, the military had deployed 200,000 elites for this battle. There were also around a thousand adventurer teams participating, hidden throughout the forest bordering the hive.

    At that moment, Mariane climbed up from below and sat on a branch near Keith, followed by Serilla. The three remained hidden beneath the tree¡¯s foliage as they gazed at the hive.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Mariane began, ¡°you can feel the air vibrating even from this far out.¡±

    ¡°Crazy. I wonder how many bees are inside?¡± Serilla remarked.

    Keith¡¯s voice lacked confidence as he shared, ¡°The file said at least a million.¡±

    Mariane looked at her son with concern. ¡°Are you scared?¡±

    ¡°A little,¡± Keith nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve never fought in a battle at this scale. It makes me feel like things are out of my control.¡±

    Mariane smiled. ¡°The fact you¡¯re aware of that means you have a good sense of danger.¡±

    Serilla waited for a few worker bees to pass overhead before adding, ¡°Stick to the plan. Don¡¯t overthink it.¡±

    Keith fell silent.

    He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what would happen if they needed to flee. There were no Rifts in the Grandsky Realm, meaning monsters could chase for as long as they wished. Had the military considered that when planning this operation?Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    As Keith kept thinking of the worst, the constant vibration in the air abruptly stopped, causing the forest to fall silent. Bewildered, Keith looked up when a strange cry pierced through the air. Following the cry, the vibration returned stronger than ever as Worker Bees flew out of the hive in droves. Their numbers blotted out the sun.

    ¡°Uhh, this doesn¡¯t seem normal,¡± Keith exclaimed, his mouth agape.

    Mariane summoned Uncle Ridger and merged with him, her voice turning metallic, ¡°They¡¯ve noticed our presence and decided to attack first. How interesting.¡±

    Shadow tendrils flowed around Serilla¡¯s hands as she nodded, ¡°Yet another reminder we can¡¯t treat the monsters in the Grandsky Realm like the ones in the Innate Dimension.¡±

    Keith felt like crying when he saw his Mom and Aunt¡¯s nonchalant behavior. Why weren¡¯t they running? Was he the crazy one for freaking out?

    Mariane laughed after seeing her son¡¯s expression, ¡°Keith, you have a good idea about your combat strength and what you can handle, but you haven¡¯t understood the power a group of people working together can have. Watch closely.¡±

    A few miles from the hive, Yara floated high in the sky, her hands clasped behind her back as she looked down upon the giant hive. She had adopted a hand-off approach since arriving in the Grandsky Realm, so she wasn¡¯t participating in this battle, instead leaving it to Major General Luca and the others.

    Yara had gone to great lengths teaching the military leaders about the Grandsky Realm and what to expect over the past few decades, and now it was time for them to turn theory into practice. With that said, she still had Markus and Ska¡¯dur on standby in case things turned dire.

    Now that the hive had taken the initiative by unleashing a horde of Worker Bees, Yara observed Major General Luca, the commanding officer of this operation. The hive¡¯s response had clearly taken the short-haired elf off-guard, though her following actions proved her ability to adapt.

    ¡°Iron Bear Battalion, take the front and draw their attention. Be prepared for the sky to fall,¡± Luca ordered, her voice enhanced by a skill.

    ¡°Aye, aye!¡± A bulky dwarf rushed forward, her 1,000 heavily armored warriors following behind her without breaking formation.

    Luca continued without pause, ¡°Legions one through fifteen, checkerboard formation! Slow advance! Legions sixteen through twenty follow behind.¡±

    A legion contained ten battalions, with every battalion having 1,000 people consisting of healers and frontliners to support units. Furthermore, each battalion had ten squads of 100, and each squad had ten parties of ten. The chain of command was simple and clear.

    While the legions marched forward at a brisk pace, the Iron Bear Battalion reached the hive, yelling and screaming at the top of their lungs as they used their aggro-type skills. The skills easily took effect on the simple-minded Worker Bees, causing them to lose their rationale and fly toward the Iron Bear Battalion with wild abandon.

    ¡°Dome up!¡± the Iron Bear battalion¡¯s commander shouted as hundreds of barriers sprang up around the battalion just as the Worker Bees arrived. Without regard for their well-being, one Worker Bee after another slammed into the assortment of barriers, quickly submerging the Iron Bear Battalion from view as they piled on each other.

    When the mountain of Worker Bees towered high and wide, the legions led by Luca came into attack range. At that point, Luca raised her hand and ordered, ¡°Artillery units, begin skyfall!¡±

    All sorts of colorful lights sprang into existence at Luca¡¯s command. Thousands of mages cast Small Meteor while archers fired Explosive Arrows. Altogether, over fifty thousand people cast large area of effect skills.

    The arrows arrived first, unleashing a wave of deadly concussive force that tore the Worker Bees to bits. The other skills followed up, dealing devasting damage and culling the Worker Bees even further. Finally, thousands of Small Meteors smashed into the remaining Worker Bees, crushing them completely.

    When the fallout cleared, all anyone could see was a massive pile of loot glistening under the sun. Of course, in the middle was the Iron Bear Battalion, their barriers on the verge of collapse.

    ¡°Iron Bear Battalion, fall back!¡± Luca commanded, her eyes scanning the bee hive for any response.

    A few moments passed in silence before an enraged cry pierced through the air. Following the cry, the ground trembled as thousands of bees rushed out of the holes covering the hive.

    None of them were Worker Bees.

    ¡°Prepare for battle!¡± Luca yelled, her gaze turning sharp.

 Collect The World - Chapter 68

    Chapter 68

    Keith watched with wide eyes as the army coordinated their attacks to wipe out the horde of Worker Bees, amazed by their might. While he had multicasted Small Meteor before, he¡¯d never witnessed thousands of meteors falling at once. The fallout resulted in an apocalyptic scene that left him awed.

    It was thrilling.

    It was exciting.

    It was terrifying.

    But the hive was undeterred.

    Thousands of bees shot out from the hive in response to the army¡¯s assault. Keith immediately noticed three variants. First was the Skewer Bee. It was slightly larger than the Worker Bee, with blinding orange fur, and had two sharp spear-shaped limbs.

    [Legendary] Skewer Bee ¨C Level 550

    Health: 300,000/300,000

    Next was the Carapace Bee. It was many times bigger than the Worker Bee and had a brown shell covering its body, while its limbs were thick and bulky.

    [Mythic] Carapace Bee ¨C Level 570

    Health: 1,000,000/1,000,000

    Of the three variants Keith spotted, the last was the Spark Bee. It was the sleekest of the three and had motes of lightning coiling around it.

    [Mythic] Spark Bee ¨C Level 585

    Health: 250,000/250,000

    The bees rushed toward the Innate Dimension¡¯s army as soon as they left the hive, the Carapace Bees leading the charge. In the distance atop a tree, Keith unknowingly held his breath as he watched the two sides grow ever closer. The moment they collided, Keith¡¯s heart clenched.

    BOOM!

    With the two armies as the center, a shockwave visible to the eye spread out, shaving a few inches of dirt from the ground wherever it passed. Keith gripped the tree he stood on as it swayed back and forth, his eyes locked on the battle.

    On the ground, the Carapace Bees used their massive frames to repeatedly slam into the Mana Barrier encompassing the Innate Dimension¡¯s army. At the same time, in the sky, the Skewer Bees increased their momentum before charging into the Mana Barrier with their front limbs.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    The Innate Dimension¡¯s army didn¡¯t remain idle; they counter-attacked with hundreds of different skills as projectiles and colorful elemental spells flew everywhere. Roars and shrieks of pain rang out as several thousand bees met their end, yet the bee army seemed not to know fear as they continued to attack the Mana Barrier regardless of their losses.

    Keith watched as the Innate Dimension¡¯s army split up even as they attacked; legions became battalions, battalions became squads, and squads became parties. Finally, after several minutes, the Mana Barrier protecting the Innate Dimension¡¯s army collapsed.

    Already prepared, the tanks in every party used their skills to partition the bee army into manageable pieces. Under their intricate control, what was once a massive battle between two armies quickly became a collection of small-scale fights.

    ¡°Get ready,¡± Mariane said next to Keith, her bandages beginning to float.

    Keith mustered his courage as he watched the Innate Dimension¡¯s army ¨C now split into hundreds of parties ¨C spread out along the forest¡¯s edge. At this moment, the spots given to the adventurers came into play. Each of the military¡¯s parties led a group of bees toward a designated location, after which the adventurers waiting nearby came to assist.

    While the military¡¯s top brass hated admitting it, adventurers were several notches above the military elites when compared individually. Their involvement in the battle instantly caused the bees heavy losses.

    ¡°#412!¡± shouted a soldier upon arriving near Keith¡¯s position, over a hundred bees surrounding their party.

    ¡°Bring it on!¡± Mariane laughed heroically and charged forward. Her bandages shot out and wrapped around a Skewer Bee as soon as she appeared. With a shout, her bandages retracted, sending her barrelling toward the bee.

    BANG!

    A skill-empowered punch shattered its skull. Without pausing, she kicked off the injured Skewer Bee and smashed into a nearby Spark Bee, sending it flying. Her bandages granted her incredible agility, even in the air.

    Serilla¡¯s appearance wasn¡¯t as flashy as her sister''s. She was like a flickering shadow, appearing atop one bee after another. Every swing of her dagger severed the muscles controlling the bee¡¯s wings, causing every bee she touched to fall helplessly to the ground.

    Those were Keith¡¯s targets.

    A Holy Flame Lance pierced the brain of a Skewer Bee, while an Earthen Spire split another in two. Keith used high mana cost skills without concern, knowing he could replenish his Mana by spending gold to retrieve it from his Grimoire.

    The military team of ten didn¡¯t hold back either.

    They knew their companion¡¯s skills like the back of their hand, giving them incredible synergy. One bee after another died to their teamwork.

    When only a few bees were left, the military¡¯s party leader scanned the battlefield and saw that bees continued to fly out from the hive in a neverending stream. He glanced toward military command and saw no changes, so he turned to Mariane and asked, ¡°How many can your team handle?"

    "More than just now,¡± Mariane grunted, her breath barely fluctuating.

    The party leader wiped his brow. ¡°Since we performed better than most, I want to relieve some pressure from the adjacent parties. What do you think?¡±

    The agreement the military had with the adventurers was to hold specific locations. Doing more than that wasn¡¯t the adventurer¡¯s responsibility, so he asked for Mariane¡¯s opinion. In reality, he was asking for Mariane¡¯s help.

    ¡°No problem,¡± Mariane agreed without hesitation.

    Giving Mariane a grateful nod, the party leader glanced at his party¡¯s tank, who said, ¡°Leave it to me.¡±

    While the tank went to aggro more bees, Serilla appeared next to Keith and praised, ¡°Good job.¡±

    ¡°You too,¡± Keith smiled tensely. ¡°Did you gain any levels?¡±

    ¡°One and a half,¡± Serilla answered with a joyful expression.

    ¡°Do you have enough Mana?¡± Serilla asked, trying to learn Keith¡¯s condition.

    Keith coughed. ¡°Uh, it should be enough.¡±

    He really wanted to say he had several hundred million Mana stocked up, but divulging one of his Innate Ability¡¯s secrets would cause Serilla to admonish him.

    Upon seeing the tank returning with several hundred bees, Serilla said, ¡°Okay, keep it up. Make sure to conserve some Mana for emergencies.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Keith replied, though Serilla had already teleported away. Taking a deep breath, he prepared for another round of battle.

 Collect The World - Chapter 69

    Chapter 69

    An hour passed.

    By this point, over two million bees had died since the raid began, and if monsters didn¡¯t dissipate upon death, huge piles of corpses would¡¯ve covered the battlefield.

    Compared to the heavy casualties among the bees, only ninety-two people died on the Innate Dimension¡¯s side, proving that having healers made a major difference in a massive battle like this.

    While people dying was unfortunate, the loot was plentiful. It had reached the point that so many items littered the ground that they became a safety hazard, forcing everyone to pick them up as they fought.

    Stealing wasn¡¯t a concern.

    Before the battle started, Yara used the Dimension Core to create a raid-type event. During the event, the System kept track of everyone¡¯s kills and collected any loot picked up. According to the rules, when the event ended, the System would divide the loot based on everyone¡¯s ranking. Nobody doubted the System¡¯s fairness.

    Perhaps even more important than the loot was the experience. Finding monsters was time-consuming, so a raid like this resulted in a windfall of experience. People were leveling up left and right thanks to the high density of monsters. For example, Keith woke up today at level 528, and in just an hour of hard work, he reached level 540.

    Unknowingly, Keith had become one of the highest-level people from the Innate Dimension. His stockpile of Mana allowed him to claim the lives of countless bees, pushing him to the front of the pack. Sadly, an hour of casting high Mana cost skills almost depleted the Mana in his Grimoire.

    Wiping the sweat off his brow, Keith glanced around the battlefield and saw that victory was in sight. No more reinforcements came from the hive, making the bees on the battlefield the last of their numbers.

    A few minutes later, everything grew quiet.

    The last bee had fallen.

    Everyone was running on fumes. Keith had mostly acted as a stationary artillery turret, yet even he was exhausted. Even then, everyone found it fitting to cry out in victory. This was the longest battle Keith had ever participated in, and shouting had never felt so great. He raised both arms to the sky and yelled his heart out.

    Just then, an enraged roar interrupted the cheering.

    In the next moment, the hive began to tremble. Cracks spread throughout the massive structure when suddenly, a gargantuan head larger than a mansion poked through the side of the hive.

    It was the Queen Bee, and it was mad.

    [Raid Boss, Ancient] Royal Queen Bee ¨C Level 615

    Health: 40,000,000/40,000,000

    Broken chunks of the hive fell to the ground as it tried to claw its way out. It screeched and roared as it squirmed around, but its body was too big, and freeing itself would take some time.

    Not wanting to waste this opportunity, Major General Luca¡¯s voice rang throughout the battlefield, ¡°Mages, give her a nice shower, then freeze her up! If anyone can control the earth, lock her down! Everyone else, surround her!¡±

    Hearing the order, Keith suddenly regretted not picking up the Spring Rain skill. It was a non-combat skill generally used by farmers to nourish crops. Considering the current situation, he realized he underestimated the functionality a skill like that could bring when combined with other skills.

    In any case, Keith joined up with his Mom and Aunt before closing in on the trapped Queen Bee. Once in range, mages showered the Raid Boss in a torrent of heavy rainfall before others followed up with skills that had the freezing effect, Keith included. He targeted the base of one of the Queen¡¯s limbs with Cold Snap.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    Even though it was a Raid Boss and had high resistance to negative effects, the Queen¡¯s movements fell by over 60% as most of its body chilled over, a result of thousands of mages working together. More cast spells like Earthen Spire and Yggdrasil¡¯s Grasp. Instead of using them to deal damage, the mages controlled the spells to create a cage around the Queen Bee¡¯s head, locking it in place.

    Major General Luca waited a few moments to confirm they had trapped the Queen before ordering, ¡°Fire at will!¡±

    At her command, thousands of skill-empowered arrows and elemental skills flew through the air and landed on the Queen Bee¡¯s exposed head. The attacks were minuscule compared to its massive size, yet its Health fell nonetheless. As it screeched in pain and anger, it could only blame itself for getting stuck.

    The Queen Bee¡¯s Health continued to dwindle as time passed, but when victory was just within reach, a sudden change occurred when its Health hit 30%. Before everyone¡¯s eyes, an ominous red glow encompassed the Queen Bee as it entered an enraged state. The increase in stats allowed it to fight against its restraints to the point they were on the verge of breaking.

    Major General Luca hastily shouted, ¡°Quick, reinforce the bindings! Iron Bear Battalion, prepare yourselves!¡±

    The majority continued to deal damage while those who could tried to lock down the Queen Bee. Unfortunately, its resistances in its enraged state allowed it to nullify the freezing debuff completely. Physical restraints like Yggdrasil¡¯s Grasp still proved effective, yet before the Queen¡¯s Bees improved strength, they only lasted a few seconds before breaking.

    At the start, they could still barely restrain the Queen Bee, but the further its Health dropped, the higher its stats became. Eventually, it was on the verge of freedom.

    ¡°Iron Bear Battalion!¡± Major General Luca yelled as she continued firing arrows.

    By now, the Iron Bear Battalion had recovered enough to take action, though against an enraged level 615 Ancient grade Raid Boss, who knew how long they could last. They charged forward, prepared to lay down their lives, only to stop in their tracks when hundreds of thick roots shot out from the ground beneath the Queen Bee.

    It was the appearance of Entangling Roots, a skill recently discovered in the Grandsky Realm. While several mages had used it earlier, there were never this many roots, nor were they as thick.

    Everyone watched as the hundreds of sturdy roots coiled around the Queen Bee¡¯s neck in an attempt to tie it down. Roaring, the Raid Boss used its recently freed front limbs to rip apart several dozen roots. Even then, more roots erupted from the ground to replace those lost.

    Under Major General Luca¡¯s encouragement, nobody held anything back as they unleashed a final barrage of attacks. Finally, with an unwilling roar, the Queen Bee dissipated into motes of light. With its death, a tremendous quantity of loot fell through the roots and rolled along the ground, shining with colorful splendor.

    As everyone cheered once more, many collapsed to the ground in exhaustion, Keith among them. Earlier, at that critical moment, he used his ability to multicast and divide his mind to accurately control hundreds of roots like they were his own limbs. While he succeeded, he consumed over a million Mana in less than 10 seconds to hold back the Queen Bee, making him feel hollowed out.

    It was a strange feeling.

    Normally, most people had a vague perception of the Mana in their bodies. The System was the one controlling it for them to cast skills. Unexpectedly, a strange phenomenon occurred when all that Mana flowed through Keith and into the world: that normally vague perception grew shockingly clear.

    Alas, 10 seconds wasn¡¯t enough to figure out exactly what he felt, though Keith¡¯s intuition told him that an incredible secret lay behind that feeling. Regardless, he simply didn¡¯t have enough Mana stockpiled to recreate what had happened. In fact, he had zero. Multicasting Entangling Roots consumed every last drop he had left.

    Laying flat on the ground, Keith decided to explore this secret later. There was something else drawing his attention.

    Congratulations! You have advanced to level 541!

    Congratulations! You have advanced to level 542!

    ¡­

    Congratulations! You have advanced to level 566!

    Congratulations! Your Entangling Roots skill reached level 429 from 362.

    Apparently, the System evaluated Keith¡¯s performance in the fight against the Queen Bee highly and granted him a significant share of the Ancient Raid Boss¡¯s experience. Feeling accomplished and with a wide grin on his face, Keith promptly fell asleep.

    In the meantime, healers swept through the battlefield and healed those critically wounded while Major General Luca sent several reserve squads into the hive to scout things out.

    Up in the sky, Yara retracted her attention from below and began browsing the raid event she had created. On the one hand, she loved setting up reward systems and watching people go to great lengths to acquire them. On the other hand, she used these events to gather data on who was worth investing in.

    With her administrative privileges, she could see what others couldn¡¯t see, like the rankings of every participant. So when she opened up the contribution list for the Bee Hive raid, she did a doubletake when she saw the name Keith Walker at rank #4.

    Yara¡¯s eyes glittered when she read the System¡¯s evaluation of why it gave Keith his ranking. Muttering something, she performed calculations using her Karma innate ability and smiled at what she found.

    With the rise in Keith¡¯s abilities, there were now so many possibilities that Yara could no longer glean anything useful from her ability to deduce the future.

 Collect The World - Chapter 70

    Chapter 70

    Keith woke up on a medical stretcher, feeling a strong sense of weakness.

    Looking around, he found himself in the middle of a camp not far from the hive. There were rows of other people either sleeping or resting on similar stretchers.

    Upon seeing Keith awake, a nurse approached and handed him a steaming bowl of soup filled with vegetables. A quick cast of Inspect revealed it was a Mythic-grade soup capable of increasing the rate Stamina regenerated. After Keith thanked the nurse and devoured the soup in record time, a blinking notification drew his attention.

    Warning: You¡¯ve acquired Mana Sickness from using more Mana than your body could handle. -20% to all stats. Duration: 2 weeks, 1 day, 22 hours, 13 minutes, 58 seconds.

    ¡°Huh,¡± Keith muttered. He had never heard there was a drawback to spending Mana. But why did he feel so hollow and empty? Losing stats shouldn¡¯t make him feel like this, so was there some hidden modifier at play?

    Thinking about it for a few minutes, Keith couldn¡¯t figure it out. His thoughts turned to the raid.

    Fighting alongside a well-rounded and experienced army was an enriching experience. The power of two people working together wasn¡¯t as simple as one plus one, much less a whole group.

    While Keith recalled the battle, a large chunk of the hive broke apart, causing a loud boom when it hit the ground. He looked over and saw a massive mining project underway, with several thousand people chipping away at the hive. No doubt they were gathering the Life Essence Honey it was made of.

    The sight made him recall the rewards the System was supposed to hand out when the event ended. Growing excited, Keith opened up the event panel and gasped at what he saw. Rank #4? That was way above his expectations!

    Besides that, below Keith¡¯s rank was a massive rectangle full of icons. Each icon represented an item awarded to him and had a colored border according to its grade ¨C blue, purple, orange, and red.

    Keith paused.

    There was one more color: brown.

    That meant one of the items was Ancient grade, and more importantly, there wasn¡¯t just one. There were nine brown-colored icons.

    Keith couldn¡¯t remain calm upon realizing what that meant.

    Wait.

    Were they resources, equipment, special items, or skills? If they were simply resources, that would be a huge letdown. Keith didn¡¯t want Ancient grade ore or wood. He wanted equipment and skills!

    Unlike in the Innate Dimension, where Mythic grade was pretty common, Ancient grade and above were notoriously hard to acquire. Keith hadn¡¯t even found one yet. That was why he¡¯d feel depressed if all nine Ancient grade items waiting for him to check turned out to be resources.

    Keith closed his eyes - the next moment would determine whether luck was on his side. After taking a deep breath, his eyes snapped open to inspect the first Ancient grade item.

    His jaw dropped.

    It was a skill!

    And not just any skill.

    It was a skill Keith had fantasized about for years.

    [Ancient] Flight

    Description: Allows the user to fly by consuming Mana. Intelligence and skill level determine flight height, speed, and Mana consumption. Intelligence Scaling: A.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Requirement: Level 500.

    The only people who could fly without a flying monster pet were Yara, Ska¡¯dur, and Markus. When Keith asked his grandmother why Markus and Ska¡¯dur could fly, he learned Yara had given them the two Flight skill books she had in her inventory long ago.

    While he didn¡¯t know how many Flight skill books dropped from the raid, he guessed there wouldn¡¯t be many. Even if there were 100, it still couldn¡¯t satisfy the market¡¯s demand, so it went without saying Keith could sell the Flight skill book for a fortune, yet no amount of money could compare to having the ability to fly. Flying was the dream of many, and now, Keith was one of the few lucky ones who could.

    Without hesitation, Keith activated the skill book and added the Ancient grade skill to his repertoire. It was sure to be the first of many to come.

    Keith glanced around.

    Although he wanted to test the Flight skill immediately, too many people were here. He didn¡¯t want to draw undue attention. That said, Keith settled his emotions and moved on to the next Ancient grade item. There were eight left; hopefully, he didn¡¯t use all his luck already.

    As if he was taking a stealthy peek at a beautiful lady, he looked at the loot panel from the corner of his eye. His excitement dropped upon seeing the second item. It was Carapace Bee Chitin, an Ancient grade material used to make equipment. The following four items were also materials.

    Right when Keith thought his luck had run dry, the sixth item turned out to be a consumable ¨C it was an Ancient grade version of Life Essence Honey!

    [Ancient] Royal Life Essence Honey

    Description: Consume to permanently increase Health by 100, Mana by 100, and a random primary stat by 25. Effect decreases the more it''s consumed.

    It was several times more effective than the Mythic grade version and was sure to sell for a sky-high price. But things like this were sought by all, and while Keith desperately needed gold, he still wouldn¡¯t sell something like this.

    Keith didn¡¯t waste a second.

    Withdrawing the Royal Life Essence Honey from his inventory, a small vial containing viscous orange liquid appeared in his hand. Pulling the topper off, he downed it in one gulp.

    ¡°Ahh,¡± Keith released a pleased groan which drew some strange looks from nearby. Ignoring the deliciously sweet taste, the vigorous life force flowing through Keith¡¯s body soothed his nerves and muscles. The elixir upgrading his very being left him profoundly relaxed, which caused him to release that embarrassing groan.

    Keith had never felt so awkward and tried to explain his actions by saying, ¡°That soup was amazing, huh?¡±

    The people on the stretchers adjacent to Keith looked down at the bowls in their hands with raised eyebrows. They collectively labeled Keith as a weirdo.

    Wishing he could find a hole to hide in, Keith continued browsing through his loot panel and found two more Royal Life Essence Honey which he promptly consumed. This time, he made extra sure not to make any strange sounds.

    Finally, only the last Ancient grade item was left.

    At this point, Keith was pretty satisfied with his haul and wouldn¡¯t be disappointed if he looted another material. Yet, his luck seemed to overflow today, as the last item was a piece of equipment, a weapon no less.

    [Ancient] Spark Managloves ¨C Level 550

    Description: A pair of gloves engraved with complex arrays that increases the wielder¡¯s defense and adds lightning damage to all their spells, among other effects.

    Spell Damage scaling based on Intelligence: B++

    Physical Defense scaling based on Intelligence: D-

    Elemental Defense scaling based on Intelligence: B-

    Adds the following stats: +4,000 Health, +20,000 Mana, +300 Intelligence, +10% Mana Regeneration rate.

    Passive skill 1: Adds lightning damage to the wielder¡¯s attacks. Lightning Damage Scaling based on Intelligence: F+

    Remark 1: Takes both the weapon and glove slot.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Keith gasped, his eyes shining as he read the equipment¡¯s information. This was the first time he saw equipment where its Physical and Elemental Defense stats scaled off Intelligence, not Vitality or Endurance. Not only that, the passive skill the Spark Managloves came with was unheard of.

    Clearly, the Grandsky Realm opened up new possibilities with regard to stats and modifiers, leaving Keith with a sense of wonder and curiosity. What else was out there waiting for him to discover?

    A moment later, Keith removed the Spark Managloves from his inventory and put them on, at which point they promptly changed shape to fit his hands perfectly. Tiny motes of lightning floated around the blue-shaped gloves, giving them a magical appearance.

    Now that Keith had gone through the best loot, he gave the rest of his rewards a cursory glance. In the end, Keith planned on adding it to his Collection Grimoire, save for the elixirs.

    With all his rewards sorted out, Keith opened up his stats panel and felt a wave of satisfaction. Compared to three years ago, his growth was astonishing.

    [Keith Walker]

    Level: 566

    Age: 21

    Titles: Philanthropist, Born With A Golden Spoon, Troublemaker, +10 others

    Health: 94,600 -> 152,800

    Mana: 138,300 -> 293,100

    Strength: 3192 -> 3559

    Agility: 3211 -> 3677

    Intelligence: 5189 -> 6483

    Vitality: 3562 -> 4095

    Endurance: 3578 -> 4124

    Skills: Sensory Link, Mind Enhancement, +253 others

 Collect The World - Chapter 71

    Chapter 71

    To the southeast of Serenity Canyon was Mandara Desert, one of the hundred zones in the Grandsky Realm. It was a land filled with sand as far as the eye could see, and like Serenity Canyon, it was just as large as the Innate Dimension.

    At this moment, five humans rode griffins above the desert sand, their clothes flapping in the wind. One of them, a man with a bushy mustache, wiped the sweat from his brow and complained, ¡°Cap''n, the heat¡¯s killing me. You sure you don¡¯t have any fire resistance potions?¡±

    ¡°Fin, weren¡¯t you the one who decided we could save money by skipping on luxury items like that?¡± Rose, a woman flying on Fin¡¯s left, laughed in amusement upon seeing her companion sweating buckets.

    ¡°That was before I started melting,¡± Fin groaned.

    ¡°Bear with it. We¡¯re almost there,¡± grunted the leader of the five, a middle-aged man flying at the front.

    Rose turned to their party¡¯s captain, ¡°Pierson, isn¡¯t it time you tell us why we¡¯re flying so deep into the border zones?¡±

    The rest of the party looked over.

    Those belonging to the Elemental, Conceptual, and Sin Dimensions considered zones like Serenity Canyon and Mandara Desert unworthy of their time, as they were too low-level and too far away. The only people who explored border zones were those looking to get away from the non-stop war between the dimensions, to test their luck, or had some secret.

    Pierson nodded and answered, ¡°Fine. You all know how Commander Rayel¡¯s a monster tamer? Well, she came up with a clever method. She¡¯d raise broodmother-type pets before releasing them into the wild in far-out locations. Then, once her released pets grew their brood, she¡¯d cull their numbers for loot and experience. What we¡¯re doing now is checking to see if the time is ripe.¡±

    ¡°Huh, that¡¯s smart,¡± Fin looked ahead, where Serenity Canyon was coming into view. ¡°So what broodmother are we looking for?¡±

    ¡°A Royal Queen Bee,¡± Pierson answered with a grunt.

    Rose¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°No way! Isn¡¯t that the monster that produces Life Essence Honey?¡±

    Pierson smiled, his expression full of respect, ¡°Sure is. Now you know how Commander Rayel could make Radiant Glow into one of the top mercenary organizations in just a few decades.¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Fin, Rose, and the other two members looked at each other. After two years, it seemed the higher-ups finally considered them official Radiant Glow members, or else they wouldn¡¯t have sent them on a mission that involved Commander Rayel¡¯s secret. This was no doubt a final test of sorts.

    A few minutes later, the group of five passed into Serenity Canyon¡¯s territory. Soon after, the massive hive came into view, at which point Pierson sat up in surprise. His face grew grim as he said, ¡°Quick, into the clouds!¡±

    Alarmed, the group soared into cover and glanced at each other in surprise. Rose was confused. ¡°Why are so many people here?¡±

    Fin furrowed his brow and made a guess. ¡°It could be a military exercise for the younger generation of the Elemental Dimension. They do these from time to time.¡±

    Pierson crossed his arms and groaned irritably. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter who they are or what they¡¯re doing here. All we care about is the state of the brood.¡±

    ¡°Uh,¡± Fin coughed, ¡°pretty sure they killed everything, considering they were mining away at the hive without any resistance.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± Pierson glowered at Fin.

    Rose shrugged helplessly. ¡°So what now? We¡¯re just gonna let these people take our Life Essence Honey?¡±

    Pierson considered for a moment before shaking his head. ¡°Whatever faction it is, just based on their numbers, it isn¡¯t worth becoming their enemy. Things like this happen, albeit rarely. We simply got unlucky. All we can do is go back and report what we found.¡±

    The group took a few moments to collect their thoughts when Pierson abruptly stood up, whipped out his bow, drew an arrow, and spun around, all in one smooth motion. At some point, a masked woman with long black hair floated in the sky not fifty feet away.

    Pierson felt a chill as he took in the newcomer. Was it just a coincidence the masked woman stayed just an inch outside the range of his Sensory Field or was it intentional? Either way, the fact his Inspect skill came up blank made him wary. Pierson was a level 729 ranger, so the only people who could hide from his Inspect were those far beyond his level or had a special item.

    Thinking quickly, Pierson lowered his bow and said, ¡°My party was just passing by. We mean no harm.¡±

    The masked woman simply hummed gently in response to Pierson¡¯s act of de-escalation, causing the atmosphere to grow heavy.

    Pierson cursed his luck for encountering an unknown group in the border zones. Was it some faction trying to avoid the war or a military operation, as Fin said? Both options didn¡¯t sound appealing.

    When Pierson was about to try and state his intentions to leave, the masked woman said, ¡°For security purposes, I need you all to follow me.¡±

    ¡°And if we don¡¯t?¡± Pierson gripped his bow tight as his companions grimaced.

    The masked woman held her hands behind her back. ¡°As far as I know, you could be spies sent to locate where our younger generation was training. It''s in your best interest to remain here until our operation ends. After that, you¡¯re free to go.¡±

    Pierson fell into thought. Honestly, he felt relieved. Based on his instincts, the masked woman was no doubt a powerhouse, and considering the circumstances, she would¡¯ve killed them by now if she wanted to.

    ¡°Captain?¡± Fin, Rose, and the other two fearfully looked at Pierson when he remained silent.

    After going over his options, Pierson put away his bow with an aggrieved expression. ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll go with you. How long until we¡¯re free?¡±

    ¡°Not long,¡± the masked woman answered vaguely.

    Pierson sighed and once more cursed his luck.

 Collect The World - Chapter 72

    Chapter 72

    Flying through the air with Pierson¡¯s party following behind, Yara forced back a laugh. She had behaved like Elaine did when commanding subordinates back in the Conceptual Dimension, exuding a regal bearing and speaking in a tone that left little room for discussion. That, combined with her hidden status from manipulating karma, led to Pierson believing he was dealing with a figure on the level of his Commander.

    Even if Pierson saw through Yara¡¯s charade, Yara had Markus and Ska¡¯dur hiding nearby, ready to reinforce her should things turn hostile. The two had spent the past month leveling like crazy and had surpassed Yara in level, reaching level 635 and 642, respectively.

    Ska¡¯dur¡¯s growth didn¡¯t come as a surprise.

    The foundation Ska¡¯dur had built in the Innate Dimension was far greater than anything Yara had ever seen, and she was one of the oldest people in the Grandsky Realm. Ska¡¯dur¡¯s stats, skillset, and skill levels at level 500 were so high he could fight and defeat a monster 200 levels above him.

    Yara anticipated Ska¡¯dur¡¯s growth, but for Markus to keep up with him was outside her expectations. It wasn¡¯t that she looked down on her son or thought he was less talented, but that Ska¡¯dur built his foundation over five centuries while Markus was less than a hundred years old.

    What made up for the difference, and what Yara didn¡¯t expect, was the evolution of Markus¡¯s innate gift. A month ago, when Markus killed Elaine, Yara noticed that Markus had changed after the event. He became sharper and more determined. Unfortunately, Markus refused to elaborate on the specifics whenever Yara asked, causing her some pain. All she knew was that Markus had unlocked a new function for his innate gift. It was that same function that allowed Markus to match Ska¡¯dur¡¯s leveling speed.

    Of course, a major reason they leveled so much was that Yara spent the past month using karma to find groups of level 650+ monsters for them to kill. Otherwise, they¡¯d have wasted half their time aimlessly running around.

    While some leaders might¡¯ve become concerned or wary of others growing stronger than them, Yara instead felt relief. Information gathering and clairvoyance were where she excelled. She was a strategist ¨C not a fighter.

    All of these things drifted through Yara¡¯s mind as she escorted Pierson¡¯s party to an isolated compound in the jungle. Beneath the structure was an underground tunnel that led directly to the military base inside the mountain behind New Hope. By the time Pierson¡¯s party entered the base, they had no idea where they were.

    ¡°This way,¡± Yara said, walking down a well-lit metal corridor as Pierson¡¯s party gave reassuring glances to each other. A short few minutes later, they stood in a large room, fully furnished and equipped with a bathroom and several bedrooms. Pierson¡¯s mood improved at the sight ¨C it looked like whatever faction Yara belonged to was at least treating them with respect and dignity.

    In the next moment, the door leading out closed shut as array lines covering the walls, floor, and ceiling flickered into existence. A sudden sense of weakness overcame Pierson¡¯s party as a comprehensive debuff lowered their stats.

    ¡°Rose?¡± Pierson called out calmly, having expected as much.

    Rose, as the only array expert in their party, walked up to the nearby wall and ran a hand across its surface. She inspected it for a minute before saying, ¡°It¡¯s a level 550 sealing array. Well made, though. Whoever constructed it knows what they¡¯re doing.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Can you break it?¡± Pierson asked.

    ¡°Easily,¡± Rose answered with pride.

    Pierson looked around the room with his eyebrows bunched together. Kneeling on one knee, he knocked against the metal floor with half his strength. He shook his head and commented, ¡°Metal alloy. It¡¯s tough, but¡­¡±

    Fin noticed Pierson was thinking about something and inquired, ¡°Captain?¡±

    Pierson stood up and sighed, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    Although he said that, Pierson wondered why the array imprisoning them was so low-level. And the metal alloy, while sturdy, wasn¡¯t unbreakable. As an experienced mercenary, he¡¯d seen his fair share of prisons, and the vibe this one gave off left him uncertain. Were the lacking defensives simply for appearances, or was there some other reason?

    At that moment, a voice coming from the array interrupted his train of thought. ¡°Hello, I hope you find your dwelling accommodating. In the meantime, I have a few questions for you.¡±

    Pierson recognized the voice as the one the masked woman had. He responded to the air, ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±

    ¡°Which organization do you belong to?¡± Yara asked from the array¡¯s control room, feeling uneasy and excited at the same time.

    Pierson sat on a nearby chair and crossed his arms. ¡°Radiant Glow, a mercenary team.¡±

    Yara remained silent and performed some divination with the new information. After confirming that the man said the truth, she asked, ¡°What is the state of affairs among the dimensions in the past few decades?¡±

    Pierson¡¯s eyes narrowed. It took him a moment to respond. ¡°Are you joking?¡±

    Yara knew that she couldn¡¯t keep up the act any longer, but she desperately needed information, so she decided to tell a half-truth, ¡°My people were trapped in a Celestial-grade Dungeon for several centuries and only recently regained freedom. I wonder if the war remains ongoing?¡±

    Pierson¡¯s finger tapped against his arm. Doubtful, he decided to play along and asked, ¡°How long precisely?¡±

    ¡°Over five centuries,¡± Yara provided.

    ¡°Then you¡¯re in for a shock,¡± Pierson sighed emotionally, ¡°The Conceptual Dimension has fallen to the hands of Monster King Tyranus. Nowadays, the Elemental, Sin, and remnants of the Conceptual Dimension find themselves allied against Monster King Tyranus and his underlings.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Yara¡¯s face paled drastically from the revelation. She quickly asked for clarification, ¡°What about the Trinity?¡±

    ¡°The three sects are gone, their leaders killed,¡± Pierson explained. ¡°Lady Elaine¡¯s disappearance paralyzed the Conceptual Dimension¡¯s armies, granting the Sin Dimension a chance to cripple them for good. Who would have known, however, that at a critical moment, Monster King Tyranus would appear and kill the Sins of Lust, Envy, and Pride? Their deaths gave Monster King Tyranus a great boost in power, allowing him to finish off the Trinity and unite the Monster Lords from over fifty zones.¡±

    ¡°Ho- how could this be?¡± Yara was shocked into silence. Tears ran down her cheeks at the thought of her many friends. Who knew whether they lived still?

    Yara¡¯s outburst gave credit to her fabricated story, causing Pierson no small relief. He wasn¡¯t yet born when Monster King Tyranus rose to power and all he knew were the stories. The quiet sobbing from the array left Pierson wondering as to Yara¡¯s identity. He asked cautiously, ¡°Ma¡¯am, I¡¯m guessing you were from the Conceptual Dimension? My condolences.¡±

    The room fell silent as the array¡¯s sound transmission was deactivated. Fin looked around in disbelief. ¡°What the slimeball just happened?¡±

    Rose looked at Pierson. ¡°Less than ten Celestial-grade Dungeons have appeared in history. What do you think?¡±

    Pierson grunted. ¡°Considering the difficulty of a Dungeon at that grade, I¡¯m inclined to believe her.¡±

    Fin thought for a moment before whispering, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you think the timing is too suspicious?¡±

    Rose placed a hand on her hip. ¡°What are you saying?¡±

    Fin gave a knowing look. ¡°Think about it. She said she was trapped for five centuries. Who else disappeared that long ago?¡±

    Pierson¡¯s party looked at each other as a name popped into their mind.

    Rose scoffed. ¡°You mean to say that woman was the legendary Lady Elaine, the one who could peak into the future and divine all sorts of information? A person close to level 1,000? Someone almost three thousand years old?¡±

    ¡°Uhh.¡± Fin¡¯s confidence wavered when Rose put it like that.

    As the two fell silent, Pierson¡¯s eyes flickered. He already had an answer in his heart, and if the stories were true, a reckoning was coming. The question now was, how could he take advantage of the situation?

 Collect The World - Chapter 73

    Chapter 73

    Over the following week, those who participated in the bee hive raid sold off or traded their rewards for things they needed. As a result, a plethora of materials flooded the market, much to the joy of craftspeople, allowing them to experiment without worry and create many new armor and weapon recipes. In turn, the equipment craftspeople created entered the market, increasing the overall strength of New Hope¡¯s populace. It was a synergistic cycle with everyone growing off each other.

    A week and a half after the bee hive raid, what Keith waited for finally occurred: an alchemist had discovered a potion recipe that used Moon Dew Leaf. When news broke out, Hoid contacted Keith and told him to wait until the market figured out the potion¡¯s value.

    While Keith bided his time, he grew increasingly manic. Like an addict, he would check the price of Moon Dew Leaf on the auction house a thousand times a day, and at night, he was so excited he¡¯d occasionally giggle in his sleep. Keith was only cured of his craziness when Hoid reached out almost a week after the discovery.

    It was time to cash in.

    By this point, a month and a half had passed since Keith began growing Moon Dew Leaf in his Farm Simulator, and he now possessed just over 3,000 individual herbs. With their new price, Moon Dew Leafs currently went for 1.4 million gold, meaning Keith had a vast sum worth over 4 billion gold in his hands. Even after Hoid took half, that left Keith with around 2 billion gold.

    Thankfully, Hoid had plenty of connections in the alchemy industry, so Keith simply visited his grandpa and handed the herbs over for him to sell. Not even an hour later, Hoid transferred over 2 billion gold to Keith with a wide grin. ¡°Not bad, not bad. Few people could make 4 billion gold in just over a month.¡±

    Keith looked at his inventory¡¯s balance in a daze and asked Hoid, ¡°Should we stock up more Moon Dew Leafs before selling more or sell them as soon as I harvest them?¡±

    ¡°The price will drop when people with farming-related innate gifts join in, so we should sell them as soon as possible,¡± Hoid answered without much thought.

    ¡°Ah,¡± Keith was dumbstruck. He forgot there were professional farmers out there while he was merely a dabbler. Once they started growing Moon Dew Leafs, wouldn¡¯t his profits shrink considerably?

    Hoid knew what Keith was thinking and responded with a smug grin. ¡°Don¡¯t worry ¨C I¡¯ll find another herb for you to grow in a month or two. With me around, we¡¯ll always be one step ahead of everyone else.¡±

    ¡°Grandpa¡¯s the best!¡± Keith gave Hoid a thumbs up.

    ¡°As long as you know it,¡± Hoid laughed before kicking Keith out of his house.

    Stunned for a moment, Keith could only shrug helplessly before returning to his home in New Hope¡¯s upper residential district, located on the southern beech of the lake to the north. It was a little smaller than his previous mansion but still big enough for him, Mariane, Ridger, and Serilla to live in. Markus lived in the property next door, and Mariane would usually visit during the night. Keith tried not to think about it.

    When Keith walked in through the front door, he shouted, ¡°I¡¯m home!¡±

    ¡°In here,¡± Mariane called out.

    Entering the lounge, Keith saw his Mom drinking a bottle of alcohol while browsing the magic tablet. As Keith walked in, Mariane tossed the device aside and said, ¡°Sit down.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Keith fell onto the couch from the side.

    Mariane crossed her arms and gave Keith a look. ¡°Markus and I have been talking recently¡­.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re getting married?¡± Keith interrupted with bright eyes.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Ew,¡± Mariane scoffed. ¡°No, we were talking about you.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything!¡± Keith immediately defended himself.

    ¡°Would you shut up for a minute?¡± Mariane glared. With a heavy sigh, she said, ¡°Markus thinks I coddle you too much. I disagreed until Serilla spoke up.¡±

    ¡°Huh, what does that mean?¡± Keith sat up, aggrieved.

    Mariane looked somewhat hesitant and explained, ¡°You¡¯re an adult now, yet you spend all your time at the house or exploring with Serilla and me.¡±

    Before Keith could speak, Mariane shot him down, ¡°How many friends do you have, Keith? Because I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen you hang out with a peer. And what about getting a girlfriend, huh? Don¡¯t you want to be intimate with a woman? Just look at Annallee and Elora ¨C they¡¯ve been living independently for years.¡±

    ¡°I- well, uh,¡± Keith struggled to respond.

    Mariane rubbed her forehead. ¡°I¡¯ve come to a decision. From now on, you can¡¯t hunt monsters with Serilla and me. You need to find your own party ¨C a group you can trust and become friends with.¡±

    Keith''s mouth hung open. ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Not only that,¡± Mariane took a deep breath, ¡°You need to move out.¡±

    Keith was stunned. ¡°You¡¯re kicking me out?!¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Mariane instantly refuted. ¡°Well, kind of. There are things you can only experience by living on your own. You need to learn to navigate society.¡±

    ¡°What will I do for food?¡± Keith complained. He didn¡¯t know the slightest bit about cooking.

    ¡°Get a butler,¡± Mariane shrugged.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Keith groaned. ¡°And how do I go about finding a butler?¡±

    Mariane looked at Keith without responding. Her meaning was clear: figure it out yourself. Ignoring Keith¡¯s frustration, Mariane stood up and walked out of the room. Just before she left, she turned and said, ¡°You have two weeks.¡±

    Helpless, Keith collapsed onto the couch and muttered, ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is happening.¡±

    That night, Mariane sat before the fireplace in Markus¡¯ living room. From the kitchen, Markus walked over carrying a bottle of wine, one glass, and a tray with crackers and dip. He joined Mariane on the thick rug made from a monster''s hide, placed the tray down in front of them, poured himself a glass of wine, and then handed the bottle to Mariane, who promptly chugged several mouthfuls.

    The two didn¡¯t speak and simply enjoyed the snapping of the fire. Occasionally, Markus would eat a cracker in between savoring his wine. A few minutes later, Markus threw another log into the fire when Mariane said, ¡°He hates me.¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t,¡± Markus replied without missing a beat.

    Mariane drank another mouthful and assumed, ¡°You think I¡¯m overreacting, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that,¡± Markus responded, knowing that a wrong answer would set Mariane off.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re thinking it,¡± Mariane scoffed.

    Phantom sweat fell down Markus¡¯s back as he inwardly berated himself for giving Mariane such an easy comeback. Trying to play it cool, he said, ¡°Moving out is a normal situation that can be positive if you let it.¡±

    ¡°Cut the bull,¡± Mariane snapped and looked Markus in the eye. ¡°You said before you don¡¯t care what Keith does as long as he¡¯s happy. Now you want him to move out by spouting crappy excuses like finding friends or navigating society. I don¡¯t believe that for a second. So tell me: what¡¯s the real reason? Did Yara put you up to this?¡±

    Falling silent, Markus gazed at the fire with a slight sneer. He denied, ¡°No, I won¡¯t let Yara interfere in Keith¡¯s life again. This is my decision.¡±

    Markus turned to Mariane, ¡°Do you know what rank Keith got in the Bee Hive Raid? Fourth place.¡±

    ¡°What? How?¡± Mariane was amazed.

    ¡°The roots at the end were his,¡± Markus smiled.

    ¡°Hmph, why didn¡¯t he tell me?¡± Mariane questioned and cracked her knuckles as if she was about to beat someone.

    Markus looked back at the fire and said, ¡°Keith is growing too fast. If this were in the Innate Dimension, I¡¯d have no problem with him pursuing personal strength. But here, his talent makes him stand out.¡± Markus clenched his hand. ¡°I fear our enemies will target him before I¡¯m strong enough to deter them.¡±

    Mariane grew solemn. ¡°So why force him to mature? Why not tell him to stop leveling up?¡±

    ¡°Nobody has the right to tell someone they can¡¯t grow stronger.¡± Markus shook his head and expressed his opinion. ¡°If I can¡¯t protect Keith, he¡¯ll need to protect himself. Yet right now, he only levels up for pure enjoyment. That isn¡¯t enough. He needs a purpose ¨C a calling.¡±

    Mariane snorted. ¡°You want him to be like you? A guardian?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. That responsibility is mine,¡± Markus paused. ¡°I only hope that by having him move out, he¡¯ll form connections with others, learn about their hardships, and take things more seriously. He doesn¡¯t understand how privileged he is. How easy a life you¡¯ve given him.¡±

    When Markus expected Mariane to erupt in anger at his last comment, she simply looked at the fire in a daze. ¡°Did I make a mistake?¡±

    Markus embraced her from the side. ¡°No. I would¡¯ve done the same.¡±

    In the ensuing silence, Markus held his tongue and didn¡¯t tell Mariane how stressed he was. The revelation of the Conceptual Dimension¡¯s destruction and the abrupt arrival of foreigners had shaken his confidence. If the Conceptual Dimension with several level 1,000s could fall, why not the much weaker Innate Dimension?

    He hoped time was on their side.

 Collect The World - Chapter 74

    Chapter 74

    By this point, the magic tablet was a cultural phenomenon ¨C everyone used it. The network had expanded greatly over the past few years. No longer was it just the auction house, mercenary guild, and a few other pages. Nowadays, the Communications Office regulated the network, and if you wanted a page of your own, they had to approve it.

    As a result, there were now hundreds of pages you could visit. There was a page called National News that updated you on current events, a forum named Textit where people could interact, and a place where businesses could post ads.

    When Keith woke up the next morning, his first thought was to go to Textit for information. The forum was massive, with hundreds of divided sections and subsections, making it a chaotic mess. Keith kept scrolling until he found a section called ¡®Housing Market.¡¯ Delighted, he looked at its subsections and found one titled Realtors. Opening it up, he saw posts from realtors advertising their businesses and looking for clients.

    ¡°Huh,¡± Keith muttered as he lay in bed.

    One of the realtors had written a post on what to expect when purchasing a house, which Keith found informative. Even so, upon learning it was a long process that involved a lot of paperwork, Keith wished he could have someone do it for him.

    Keith sat up at the thought.

    Instead of finding a house, butler, cook, etc., on his own, why couldn¡¯t he hire a personal assistant and pass off all that annoying stuff to them? Keith had the money to afford it, so why not?

    Keith paused.

    It wasn¡¯t like he could hire a random person off the street. No, they had to be trustworthy and knowledgeable¡ªsomeone with Keith¡¯s best interests in mind. Keith immediately thought of all the people he knew when he suddenly shook. Uh, it seems he only knew a few people.

    Keith remembered Umbra. He knew they served the Guardian''s families and that Adeiv was his liaison with them. Keith respected Adeiv ¨C he was smart, experienced, well-connected, morally upstanding, and had a super cool innate gift to boot. Yet, there was just something about having other people serve Keith that left him deeply uncomfortable.

    Sighing, Keith was just about to move on when he recalled his dealings with Hoid. Considering for a moment, Keith sent Adeiv a message. Hey, would you be interested in becoming my personal assistant? And I¡¯m asking you as Adeiv Strinde, a private citizen. Not as a member of Umbra.

    Not even half an hour later, Adeiv responded. What duties would I have as your personal assistant? Keep in mind my responsibilities with Umbra leave me with very little time. And the price wouldn¡¯t be low.

    Keith¡¯s eyes lit up. Money isn¡¯t an issue. Right now, I need to find a house, a butler, and a cook.

    It took a few moments for Adeiv to reply. Well, those tasks don¡¯t require hiring a personal assistant. Once I accomplish those things, what then?

    Keith was stumped. He thought for a minute before sending another message. Okay ¨C how about this: including tasks like before, if I have anything I want to buy or sell, I¡¯ll leave it for you to handle.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Adeiv stated a price, Hm. In that case, I want a 5% commission on items I trade for you.

    Keith sucked in a breath and sent, That¡¯s expensive!

    Adeiv replied, I¡¯m worth it.

    As Keith struggled to come up with an appropriate response, Adeiv asked, What¡¯s the timeframe for the tasks you mentioned earlier?

    Keith was relieved and replied, I need everything done within two weeks.

    Okay. I¡¯m free two days from now in the afternoon. Are you in New Hope? I¡¯ll come to you so we can talk specifics. Adeiv said.

    After Keith sent over his address, the conversation ended.

    For the rest of the day, Keith browsed the network for a few hours before beginning his daily meditation session, a routine he started the day after the bee hive raid. At the start, he just wanted to keep the memory of that peculiar state fresh in his mind, so he decided to spend an hour forcibly remembering that moment. However, when he was halfway through the first session, Keith made a surprising discovery ¨C he found that a blue strand would randomly flash in his mind.

    What did that mean? The common consensus was that nobody could control mana. It was something the System governed. A person willed a skill to activate, and the System did the rest. Simple as that. But now, Keith suspected it was possible to control mana.

    At this point, it had been around 15 days since Keith began meditating, and he could now maintain five strands in his mind for around thirty seconds. More importantly, Keith could vaguely feel their location in his body. Sometimes, when he opened his eyes after a meditation session, he saw a notification screen trying to appear.

    While Keith knew he was progressing, he felt it was too slow. It took him over two weeks to only feel five strands in his body, which he figured were five points of mana. Yet, Keith had almost 300,000 points of mana. At his current speed, who knew how long it would take before something happened.

    Fortunately, Keith came up with an idea - he could replicate the past.

    Just like during the bee hive raid, Keith thought he could consume millions of mana to force a connection with it. In this regard, Keith was lucky to have the Collection Grimoire. Without it, he¡¯d need to wait until he was level 950+ to have a mana pool of several million.

    Two days later, Adeiv and Keith met up at a local restaurant, where they worked out the details of their relationship should Adeiv become Keith¡¯s personal assistant. Adeiv was very serious throughout the whole discussion, maintaining a professional attitude and demeanor. Finally, after Adeiv had a good idea of his responsibilities, the two signed a legal contract.

    Before Adeiv left, he asked, ¡°Is there anything else you want me to handle besides finding a house, chef, and butler?¡±

    Keith nodded and handed over a lengthy list.

    Written down were a bunch of items totaling a billion gold. Keith planned to purchase items from the Grandsky Realm to get enough Collection Points for Mana Battery. Additionally, Keith needed to resupply his Grimoire with Mana Gathering Arrays. If he wanted to stock up several million points of mana again, he¡¯d need to invest a considerable amount.

    Adeiv perused the list with a raised eyebrow. He said, ¡°Mana Gathering Arrays have flooded the market since array masters began experimenting on how to produce ancient grade arrays. They¡¯re about 30% cheaper than normal. How many do you need?¡±

    Keith recalled that mythic grade Mana Gathering Arrays produced 1,000 points of mana a minute. Before he answered, he asked, ¡°Are there ancient grade arrays yet? How much do they gather?¡±

    ¡°Yes, a few,¡± Adeiv affirmed. ¡°They produce five times as much mana compared to mythic grade Mana Gathering Arrays, but they''re twenty times as expensive.¡±

    Keith sucked in a breath. ¡°Forget it. I need 20 mythic grade ones.¡±

    ¡°Got it. Give me a few days. Anything else?¡± Adeiv said.

    Keith shook his head. ¡°Not that I can think of.¡±

    After that, Adeiv left.

    Three days later, Keith acquired 20 mythic grade Mana Gathering Arrays and over half a billion gold worth of items to stuff in his Collection Grimoire. After suffering another round of sensory overload, Keith purchased Mana Battery. The next day, the new Mana Gathering Arrays collected around 30 million points of mana.

    With enough mana stocked up, Keith returned to the Innate Dimension, flew into the sky, and tried all sorts of acrobatic moves in the air. Now that he was out in the wild, it was the first time he used the Flight skill so freely. There was something liberating about freeing yourself from gravity.

    After some time, Keith landed at a secluded location far from civilization.

    He was ready to begin the test.

 Collect The World - Chapter 75

    Chapter 75

    When Keith first saw the effect of Mana Battery, he thought it was unbelievably powerful. It wasn¡¯t until recently he found that things weren¡¯t so simple. Even if he removed the gold cost from withdrawing Mana from his Grimoire, there was something called Mana Sickness.

    Keith didn¡¯t know the specifics ¨C but apparently, using Mana came at an unknown cost. This cost didn¡¯t affect you unless you passed a certain limit, which Keith obviously had. That act of using 3 million Mana left him with a heavy debuff for two weeks, and now that Keith was about to spend millions of Mana again, he suddenly felt wary.

    A thought popped into his head.

    Yeah, he would probably spend more Mana than he did before in just a moment. In that case, what if the Mana Sickness debuff reached a 100% reduction in stats? Would his Health become 0? Would he die?

    Huh.

    Keith abruptly found that what he was about to do was dangerous. Should he reconsider? Keith paced back and forth for a good chunk of an hour and ultimately decided to keep one of his split minds focused on his stats. Once they dropped past 50%, he¡¯d stop.

    Feeling reassured, Keith used Mind Division until he had 15 minds, his current maximum. Then, Keith raised a hand and multicast Entangling Roots.

    Entangling Roots was different from most skills. It had a special feature ¨C the more Mana you pumped into it, the harder, bigger, and faster the roots became. Each cast of Entangling Roots summoned between 6-10 roots; with Keith casting it 10 times, there were 85 roots in total.

    At first, they were small, no thicker than Keith¡¯s arm. But when Keith pumped thousands of Mana into each root, they quickly swelled in size. In seconds they grew larger than a five-story building, twisting and creaking all the way.

    Keith¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t on the monstrous roots growing in real time.

    It was inward.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    At this moment, Keith found himself as a medium of sorts ¨C he drew Mana from the Collection Grimoire and funneled it through his body, after which the System worked its magic to make skills work. Currently, he didn¡¯t care about how skills functioned. That was beyond him. Right now, he focused all his attention on the first half of the process.

    With a million points of Mana flowing through Keith every moment, his perception of Mana skyrocketed. He had never felt it so clearly. Each point of Mana was smaller than a grain of sand, ever flowing.

    Keith immediately noticed that when his Grimoire¡¯s Mana entered his body, it changed somehow. It became HIS. Keith¡¯s four minds shook at the discovery. Was Mana in the air ownerless? If yes, then Keith had a theory. Leaving your mark on ownerless Mana took away from your being. It was like how water could erode rock. If the process of erosion overcomes your recovery, then you¡¯d get Mana Sickness.

    Keith trembled. One of his minds berated the others for getting sidetracked. His minds communicated, and Keith realized he¡¯d already spent 6 million Mana and lost 40% of his stats, yet he was no closer to forming a connection with his Mana.

    Another of Keith¡¯s minds cleverly informed the others to focus on the location of the Mana that had just become his. The feeling of connection was strongest at that spot. Delighted, Keith focused his attention there.

    One of the minds that had remained silent spoke up. The place where Keith¡¯s body marked ownerless Mana was under the center of his chest, right below his collarbone. From there, Keith saw a bright blue ball of Mana. Some of it formed streams that flowed throughout his body, though most of it funneled into a small red dot.

    Wondering what the red dot was, Keith was just about to look over when the mind focusing on his stats shouted a warning. By this point, Keith had spent 10 million Mana and lost 70% of his stats. Time was running out.

    Knowing that he had no more than 2 seconds left, Keith decisively cut off the channeling of Entangling Roots and had all 15 minds focus on the blue ball of Mana in his chest. He fully immersed his consciousness inside the ball, groping and feeling with all his power.

    Unfortunately, when the Mana coming from his Grimoire stopped flowing, his perception dwindled. But Keith didn¡¯t give up. He held tight, fully visualizing the blue ball and its streams in his mind.

    When moments had passed, yet the connection remained, Keith slowly relaxed his minds. Without even thinking about it, he could instinctively feel every point of Mana moving in his body. From that alone, Keith knew he had succeeded.

    ¡°Whew,¡± Keith released a breath he¡¯d unknowingly held and opened his eyes. Communicating with his Mana, Keith looked at his hand, where a pale blue glow encompassed his finger.

    Overjoyed, Keith was just about to freak out when he suddenly felt the world spin. Falling over, he lost consciousness.

 Collect The World - Chapter 76

    Chapter 76

    Utterly exhausted, Keith opened his eyes and found himself lying on his bed. For a moment, he wondered why he felt so weak when he saw a blinking notification covering his vision.

    Warning: You¡¯ve acquired Mana Sickness from using more Mana than your body could handle. -80% to all stats. Duration: 3 months, 1 week, 3 days, 14 hours, 2 minutes, 45 seconds.

    Recalling everything, Keith sighed. That was close. A few more seconds and his stats might¡¯ve dropped to 0. Thankfully, he succeeded. Even now, Keith could feel the presence of his Mana flowing through his body, bringing him great comfort.

    But three months of Mana Sickness? That was a hard pill to swallow. Considering everyone was exploring the Grandsky Realm, now was the worst time to fall ill. Keith could already imagine everyone else growing rapidly while he remained the same.

    Keith opened his status, hoping that whatever he unlocked was worth it.

    [Transcendant] Mana Manipulation

    Description: Grants the ability to manipulate Mana. Skill level reduces the mental strain of controlling Mana.

    Keith gasped. Transcendent grade? That was the highest grade in the Grandsky Realm! He remembered that Yara said there were less than 20 Transcendent grade items in the entire Realm. While skills were less rare, that still meant there couldn¡¯t be more than a few hundred. And Keith actually had one in his possession?

    That wasn¡¯t all.

    Keith noticed he had two more titles.

    [Path of Mana: Beginner]

    Description: Take your first step onto the endless Path of Mana. Reduces the Mana cost of all skills by 5%.

    [Transcendant Skill Holder]

    Description: Possess a Transcendent grade skill. All skills level slightly faster (up to level 1,000).

    Slimeballs. Both titles offered incredible effects, making them the best Keith had acquired so far. Though, the Path of Mana left Keith thinking about its implications.

    Struggling to sit up against the wall, Keith returned his attention to the Mana Manipulation skill. He¡¯d never seen such a barebones description. What exactly did ¡°grants the ability to manipulate Mana¡± entail?

    Once again, Keith moved Mana onto his finger, where it lit up with a pale blue radiance. When it grew dark, Keith flicked his finger and shot out a small ball of Mana. It hit the nearby wall with a splat and dissipated, leaving no visible damage.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Keith was confused. He could intuitively feel he spent nearly 30 points of Mana to create that ball, about as much as the Fireball skill would use. But even a Level 1 Fireball would leave some scorch marks,  so why did his self-created ball pop like a harmless bubble? There must be something he was missing. Otherwise, the Mana Manipulation skill wouldn¡¯t be  Transcendent grade.

    Mariane must¡¯ve noticed the movement of Mana because she opened the door a few seconds later. As soon as she saw Keith was awake, she turned hostile. ¡°If Yara hadn¡¯t said there was another reason, I would¡¯ve thought you were trying to kill yourself because I¡¯m forcing you to move out. What the hell do you think you were doing? Yara said you were this close to dying!¡±

    Keith blinked in surprise. ¡°Oh, come on, why would I do that? I was just experimenting. Besides, I had everything under control.¡±

    ¡°Bullcrap!¡± Mariane spat.

    ¡°I did!¡± Keith persisted. ¡°I stopped as soon as my Mana Sickness reached 80%.¡±

    ¡°Oh, good for you,¡± Mariane snapped. ¡°Do you know how long you¡¯ve been sleeping? Almost two weeks. I¡¯ve been worried sick. If you really had everything under control, why leave us in the dark?¡±

    Keith scratched his cheek when he saw the tears in his Mother¡¯s eyes. ¡°Uh, okay, that¡¯s fair. To be honest, I didn¡¯t expect to fall unconscious.¡±

    Mariane glared at Keith. When she saw his guilty look, she relaxed her posture. ¡°Was it worth it? Whatever you were doing?¡±

    Keith shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know yet. Hey, have you ever seen a title like this?¡±

    A notification flew towards Mariane, showing his new title¡¯s information. She shook her head. ¡°No.¡±

    At that moment, Yara rushed into the room with an expectant expression. She asked, ¡°Did you acquire a Mana Body?¡±

    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s that?¡± Keith grew curious. Did she know something?

    Yara frowned, somewhat unsure. ¡°What did you spend so much Mana for?¡±

    Keith didn¡¯t want to keep it a secret. There was joy in sharing his accomplishments. With a wave of his hand, Keith sent Yara info about his Mana Manipulation skill.

    ¡°So it¡¯s this,¡± Yara¡¯s eyes brightened.

    Keith sat up. ¡°Grandma, you¡¯ve seen this skill?¡±

    Yara nodded. ¡°Yes, a handful of people have it. All level 1,000. One person had a special opportunity, while the others had a Mana pool of several million.¡±

    Keith was shocked to hear that. He quickly asked, ¡°Can you tell me why it has such a high grade? I¡¯ve tested a little, but it doesn¡¯t seem that useful.¡±

    Yara recalled someone from the Conceptual Dimension. With a sorrowful tone, she explained, ¡°Although I don¡¯t have the skill, I had a good friend who did. According to her, there were two things the Mana Manipulation skill was great at. Creating skills and forming a Mana Body.¡±

    Keith was more interested in the term Mana Body. Yara continued before he could ask, ¡°My friend said to form a Mana Body, you had to create a complete network in your body for Mana to flow. Other than that, I don¡¯t know much else.¡±

    ¡°Huh!¡± Keith leaned back and closed his eyes. Inside his body, he could see the central ball of Mana in his chest, with tendrils randomly forming and dissipating. Keith immediately recalled the diagrams on human anatomy he had learned in school. Should he form the Mana Body based on veins and arteries?

    Growing excited, Keith visualized an interconnected system of lines flowing through his body for his Mana to follow. To his surprise, a notification appeared.

    Mana Body Completion Rate: 13%.

    Please choose whether to confirm or deny your design.

    Warning: Deconstructing an established Mana Body results in immense pain.

    Keith opened his eyes and asked Yara, ¡°What completion rate did your friend have?¡±

    Yara was puzzled. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Why?¡±

    Keith explained the details to Yara, causing her to fall into thought. Back then, Elaine observed that her friend¡¯s vessel doubled in size after forming her Mana Body, meaning this process was crucial.

    Taking a deep breath, Yara said, ¡°I know someone who could help you. He¡¯s a bit of a workaholic, though I¡¯m sure he¡¯d be more than interested in your situation. Have you heard of William Frisk?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Keith exclaimed. The genius scientist behind the magic tablet, magic network, and countless other inventions? Who hadn¡¯t heard of him?

    Yara nodded to herself. ¡°I¡¯ll contact him immediately.¡±

 Collect The World - Chapter 77

    Chapter 77

    Yara felt this was a great opportunity. If the Innate Nation could somehow find a method for people to unlock the Mana Manipulation skill and form a Mana Body without having a Mana pool of several million, their military might would skyrocket.

    Unfortunately, the few experts who had formed a Mana Body kept their lips sealed, afraid of their enemies gaining a Mana Body of their own. Thankfully, Yara had William Frisk. With Frisk¡¯s genius and innate ability, all scientific problems were his to solve.

    Without delay, Yara attempted to contact him through the magic tablet. Once, twice, thrice. Only after the sixth attempt did Frisk answer. ¡°For System¡¯s sake, what is it? Didn¡¯t I tell you I¡¯m in seclusion researching arrays?¡±

    Yara took a breath to hold back her temper. ¡°It¡¯s almost been four months. Haven¡¯t you studied long enough?¡±

    ¡°Huh, four months? The time acceleration array must¡¯ve malfunctioned¡­.¡± Frisk muttered.

    ¡°I have something- wait, what? Time acceleration? Explain,¡± Yara demanded, caught off guard.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing much,¡± Frisk chortled. ¡°I happened to discover an array that accelerated time and engraved it on a Pocket Dimension to use as my personal research lab. With time accelerated by roughly ten times, I¡¯ve pushed my array skill to 929. Oh, but this array consumes a lot of Mana. A single Mana Reactor could only accelerate time by ten times. Uh, by that point, the Pocket Dimension showed signs of collapsing, so I didn¡¯t push it further.¡±

    There was too much information for Yara to process. Frisk¡¯s array skill went from level 500 to 929 in four months? Or rather, three years? And he actually discovered a time array? Hang on. Yara frowned, ¡°You¡¯ve been using a Mana Reactor for personal use?¡±

    Frisk coughed awkwardly. ¡°Ah, well, you know how important I am, right? You¡¯d have approved it anyway. Besides, didn¡¯t you let your grandson Key-something play around with one for a while?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Keith. And I can do whatever I want,¡± Yara hummed shamelessly.

    ¡°Yes, yes, I know,¡± Frisk muttered as he rolled his eyes at Yara¡¯s response.

    Yara sighed. ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s a good thing your array skill leveled so much.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Frisk agreed.

    ¡°But enough research!¡± Yara announced. ¡°There¡¯s been a recent development. It¡¯s something you¡¯ll find interesting.¡±

    ¡°Hey, are you sure? You know how precious my time is,¡± Frisk groaned, unwilling to step away from his experiments.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    Yara sneered. ¡°Shut up and come to me. NOW.¡±

    With that, Yara sent over her address and hung up, leaving Frisk speechless.

    It wasn¡¯t until two hours passed that Frisk finally arrived at Mariane¡¯s home. Probably because he rarely left his Pocket Dimension lab, his hair was long and unkempt, and dark circles surrounded his eyes. As soon as Ridger received Frisk at the door, Frisk asked, ¡°Ah, do you have coffee? I need coffee.¡±

    Ridger rubbed his beard. ¡°We do, though I¡¯d recommend a protein shake. Does wonders for the body.¡±

    Frisk looked Ridger up and down before declining, ¡°No, thank you, any coffee will do. I¡¯m not particular.¡±

    Ridger shrugged, brought Frisk to Keith¡¯s room, and then left for the kitchen.  Upon entering, Frisk looked around and spotted Keith. ¡°Hey, is this your grandson, uh, Keet?¡±

    Yara put a hand on her hip. ¡°Are you doing this on purpose? It¡¯s Keith. And yes, that¡¯s him.¡±

    Frisk picked his ear. ¡°Well, you didn¡¯t call me here to give him a checkup, did you? ¡®Cuz that¡¯s a waste of my time.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re insufferable. You know that?¡± Yara glared.

    ¡°You¡¯ve mentioned it,¡± Frisk smiled.

    Just as Yara was about to retort, Mariane walked up to Frisk and activated a Cleanliness Ring. Surprised, Frisk gave Mariane a querying look when she said, ¡°You smelled.¡±

    Frisk thought about it and nodded.

    Speechless, Yara could only explain the situation to Frisk. The more Frisk heard, the more engaged he became. By the end, he was practically frothing at the mouth. ¡°This is wonderful! Spectacular! I¡¯ve speculated that you could control Mana, but I¡¯ve never found a catalyst. So we need to boost perception, huh? In that case, there are several paths to take. I¡¯ve dabbled with various psychedelic drugs before. I bet I could whip something up that¡¯ll heighten your senses. Oh! What if I paired it with an array? I could modify a Mana Gathering array by changing some¡­.¡±

    Yara cut Frisk off before he rambled for too long. ¡°Frisk, worry about that later. Focus on producing a Mana Body for now.¡±

    Frisk smirked. ¡°Heh, worried about your grandson? Fine, fine. I¡¯m more interested in that, anyway.¡±

    Frisk strolled up to the side of Keith¡¯s bed, pulled out a chair from his inventory, and sat down. ¡°So, grandson, I suppose I have to work with you for a while. Let me ask you a question. What do you think a Mana Body should do?¡±

    Keith was stunned. He hadn¡¯t even heard of the term Mana Body until two hours ago. How was he supposed to know anything about it? However, Frisk was renowned for his knowledge, so Keith figured he ought to provide an answer lest Frisk look down upon him. Thinking for a good minute, Keith said, ¡°Sir, I think it has to provide a beneficial effect. Something like increasing the speed of casting skills or reducing Mana costs.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s such a surface-level take I won¡¯t even comment on it,¡± Frisk snorted, then wore a lazy expression. ¡°Your idea of forming a Mana Body based on human anatomy was good, but it¡¯s too simple. Think about it. Arteries, veins, muscles, bones, tendons, skin, etc. Those all work together to allow you to manipulate your physical body. And right there is the key. Is Mana a physical entity? Obviously not. So we need a framework to facilitate the manipulation of Mana ¨C ergo, a Mana Body.¡±

    Keith was amazed. Frisk had summarized it perfectly. The man had just come into contact with the concept of a Mana Body moments earlier, yet he had already deduced what a Mana Body was, at least theoretically.

    Keith started thinking. If you needed a framework to manipulate Mana, how should he begin forming such a system? A moment later, his eyes lit up. ¡°Arrays!¡±

    Frisk clapped. ¡°Precisely! You aren¡¯t as dumb as you look. Yes, what we need to do is form an array. An array inside your body! By the way, where¡¯s my coffee?¡±

 Collect The World - Chapter 78

    Chapter 78

    Since Frisk didn¡¯t have the Mana Manipulation skill, Keith had to embark on the path of an array master. Or rather, he just had to learn how to create arrays. There was no need for Keith to understand the hows and whys ¨C he simply needed to copy whatever arrays Frisk chose. Even then, it would take months to gain initial proficiency in arrays. Thankfully, Frisk¡¯s time-accelerated Pocket Dimension was the perfect place for their needs.

    With a plan in place, Keith followed Frisk through a portal to a large open facility, each step leaving him dizzy due to his Mana Sickness. Frisk lazily pointed around and said, ¡°This is my workspace, and over there is the door to the Pocket Dimension.¡±

    Keith was reminded of Zeidrick¡¯s home when he looked around. Blueprints, raw materials, and unfinished arrays littered the place. Keith even spotted a large mattress surrounded by dirty clothes.

    ¡°Eh, sleeping here saves time,¡± Frisk shrugged without a hint of embarrassment when he saw where Keith was looking. ¡°Shall we get started?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Keith said with some excitement, wondering what benefits a Mana Body would provide.

    Keith followed Frisk into the Pocket Dimension and suddenly felt curious. Would the time acceleration here affect his Farming and Rift Simulator? A glance at his status answered his question. It did. The timer on his crops still counted down normally, not ten times slower. Even better, his Mana Sickness debuff was the same.

    Keith thought he¡¯d struck it rich until he remembered the time-acceleration array required a Mana Reactor to power it. And even if he had one, he¡¯d need to remain in the Pocket Dimension for it to be effective. Staying locked inside would be much too boring.

    ¡°Be careful not to touch that array over there,¡± Frisk pointed to an unfinished array in the corner before turning to Keith. ¡°So, grandson, how much do you know about arrays?¡±

    ¡°Nothing more than a layperson would know,¡± Keith responded, finding it strange how Frisk referred to him.

    ¡°Listen closely,¡± Frisk sighed and began a long explanation. ¡°When you look at an array, what you see as lines are actually what array masters call runes. Even though runes look like lines, they¡¯re much more complicated than one. They vary based on their width, depth, and length. Ah, think of a rune as a three dimensional letter with exact measurements. If you put runes together, you create a word, and a word conveys a certain meaning. Unlike the words spoken by you and me, a word formed by runes invokes a certain effect. Basically, runes are letters, and arrays are words. Do you understand so far?¡±

    Keith nodded and asked, ¡°What¡¯s powering the effect?¡±

    ¡°No one knows,¡± Frisk shrugged. ¡°It could be the world, or it could be the System.¡±

    Keith thought for a moment. ¡°If runes are supposed to be exact, then what causes the same type of array to have different grades?¡±

    ¡°Good question. The grade depends on three factors: the number of runes, the number of mistakes in a rune, and the ink used.¡± Frisk smiled with appreciation. ¡°For example, you can convey ¡°I love you¡± in three words or a whole essay. The key lies in finding the balance between meaning and conciseness.¡±

    Keith found Frisk¡¯s explanations to be very enlightening. He could already tell that the field of arrays was unfathomably deep.

    The next moment, Frisk held up a small bottle of dark blue liquid and a metal pen with a sharply curved tip. ¡°The ink used to write runes comes from a mix of monster blood and other materials. Quality varies greatly here.¡±

    Keith didn¡¯t understand one thing. ¡°With that pen, how do you determine a rune''s depth and width?¡±

    ¡°You depend on the Rune Carving skill,¡± Frisk held up the pen as a drop of ink appeared at its tip. ¡°You can use your finger, though it''s easier to use a pen like this. Anyway, the skill allows you to manipulate the width and depth of this dot of ink. Saves a lot of time.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Keith wondered aloud, ¡°So what do you carve on?¡±

    Frisk picked up a half-inch thick piece of tan paper the size of a person¡¯s torso from a nearby table and handed it to Keith. ¡°This is called rune paper. There are all sorts of sizes, depending on your needs.¡±

    Keith slid his hand across the rune paper¡¯s surface. It was smooth. He tried bending it, only to discover it was as tough as wood. After a moment, Frisk showed Keith a strange three-dimensional plastic model covered in different-sized studs. It looked like a curved F. Frisk pointed to a particular stud on the model. ¡°This rune has the meaning ¡®gather.¡¯ The effect itself does nothing. You need another word to pair it with, like ¡®water.¡¯ At that point, it''s technically an array and will gather water. See the studs on the bottom and sides? Those represent the depth and width the rune needs for it to work.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s useful,¡± Keith blinked. ¡°After carving, how will I know if I was successful?¡±

    ¡°The System will evaluate you. Generally, anything that¡¯s at least 50% correct will work. The more correct, the more experience granted,¡± Frisk explained.

    Keith nodded to show he understood when he had a thought. ¡°Wait, you said your Array skill was level 929, right? What level are you?¡±

    ¡°Somewhere around level 800,¡± Frisk shrugged cluelessly. ¡°It¡¯s not important to me.¡±

    Keith gasped, shocked. Slimeballs. Did professions award too much experience, or was Frisk an outlier? Keith had spent several months fighting monsters and was only level 571. The comparison was depressing.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Frisk gave Keith the ¡®gather¡¯ model, jars of ink, rune paper, and a rune pen. ¡°Your workspace is over there. I have all the ink and rune paper you need, so you just need to put in the effort.¡±

    With that, Frisk walked to a whiteboard and started writing diagrams. Keith could hear him muttering terms like ¡®Mana Body,¡¯ ¡®Efficiency,¡¯ and ¡®Compression,¡¯ among other things. Holding the rune equipment in his hands, Keith approached his desk and sat down.

    Before he started, Keith thought of the time he spent learning how to write back in elementary school and figured this process was more or less the same, except that it was expensive. Although Keith didn¡¯t know how much rune paper and ink cost, he knew it wasn¡¯t anything to scoff at.

    In any case, Keith picked up the pen, dipped it in ink, and then started carving while observing the ¡®gather¡¯ model. Without the Rune Carving skill, he couldn¡¯t adjust the width and depth as freely, though his high agility gave him a steady hand. A minute later, several notifications popped up.

    Rune completion rate: 74%. 25 experience granted.

    Congratulations! You¡¯ve unlocked the Rune Carving skill.

    [Universal] Rune Carving

    Description: Control the shape of rune ink by consuming mana. Mana consumption decreases with skill level.

    Keith felt that 74% wasn¡¯t bad for a first attempt, so he quickly began his second. This time, he used the Rune Carving skill. Moments later, a notification appeared.

    Rune completion rate: 60%. 20 experience granted.

    Keith was amused. Controlling the ink with his mind proved less effective than relying on his high agility to carve a rune. He thought briefly before deciding to make the most of his agility.

    However, just as he began his third attempt, Frisk¡¯s voice came from afar, ¡°Grandson, don¡¯t underestimate the importance of Rune Carving. It is the prerequisite to learning other skills. Think about it. How will agility help create an array in your body?¡±

    Embarrassed, Keith switched back to using the Rune Carving skill.

    As the hours passed, rune paper continued to pile up around Keith¡¯s desk. Frisk¡¯s requirement was for Keith to attain at least a 95% completion rate before moving on to a new rune. Keith tried pushing for 100% and found it incredibly hard, so he didn¡¯t force it.

    Like this, Keith learned how to draw one rune after another, such as Water, Fire, Air, Heat, Cool, etc. He spent all day absorbed in raising his skill level as Frisk occasionally gave guidance. A week of hard work later, Keith had learned over a hundred runes. By this point, Frisk¡¯s task was for Keith to shrink the size of the runes he¡¯d learned as much as possible. Being precise only got more important.

    After two months under accelerated time, Keith could now carve all the runes he knew at the size of a fingernail, though carving runes with ink any smaller than this was physically impossible. Now, he needed another method.

    Thanks to Keith¡¯s effort, his Rune Carving skill reached level 250. At the same time, he acquired enough understanding of runes to unlock another universal skill.

    [Universal] Rune Imprinting

    Description: Use your mind to shape your mana into a rune. Mana cost and mental strain decrease with skill level.

    Getting started, Keith used the Rune Imprinting skill and tried to write the ¡®gather¡¯ rune with his mind when he wondered if his Mind Division and Mind Enhancement skills would be useful here.

    The answer was a resounding yes.

    In five seconds, Keith imprinted the ¡®gather¡¯ rune onto a piece of rune paper the size of a fingernail. Not only was it extremely fast, but he achieved a 98% completion rate for the first time.

    Just as Keith clenched a fist in celebration, Frisk¡¯s voice came from behind, ¡°Huh, you figured it out. Good. It¡¯s time to move on to the next step. Are you ready to form your first array?¡±

 Collect The World - Chapter 79

    Chapter 79

    Even though Keith knew runes formed an array, he was clueless on how to position them. Was it side-by-side? Top-down? Finding the answer would require weeks or even months of experimentation. Thankfully, he had Frisk to show the way.

    ¡°Centuries ago, there were several styles the tribes used,¡± Frisk explained as he sipped some coffee. Just when he was about to go into the details, he paused. ¡°Ah, you can learn history somewhere else. Nowadays, we use the circular style. You start with a center and expand outward in a spiral shape.¡± Frisk handed Keith a thin piece of runic paper. ¡°Try deducing what runes you¡¯d use in a Water Gathering Array. The one farmers use to water their crops.¡±

    Keith thought aloud. ¡°Definitely ¡®water¡¯ and ¡®gather.¡¯ Um, ¡®condense.¡¯ ¡®Liquid,¡¯ too. Probably ¡®spread¡¯ and ¡®area¡¯?¡±

    Frisk nodded with a smile. ¡°Good. Try it out. Think about the order.¡±

    Holding a hand over the runic paper, Keith used his divided mind to deduce the positioning. A problem instantly arose. The ¡®water¡¯ rune needed to connect to three other runes: ¡®gather,¡¯ ¡®condense,¡¯ and ¡®liquid.¡¯ However, following the circular style, a single rune could only connect to two other runes. Did he need to use the ¡®water¡¯ rune multiple times? No. That felt messy and didn¡¯t fit with the conciseness Frisk spoke of.

    Frisk provided an answer when he saw Keith¡¯s troubled expression. ¡°In this case, you need the ¡®connect¡¯ rune, one of the few special runes that can ignore positioning and even overlap other runes. It¡¯s a straight line and can link to other ¡®connect¡¯ runes. To denote what it''s connecting, use a standard double-sided notch on the runes you want to connect.¡±

    Keith¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°That makes it easy!¡±

    In less than a minute, Keith successfully drew a Water Gathering Array, providing him with significantly more experience, a few skill levels, and a new title.

    [Array Novice]

    Description: Reduces the mental strain and mana cost of imprinting runes by 5%.

    When water vapor began to condense over Keith¡¯s desk, Frisk erased the recently drawn array with a wave of his hand. Keith exclaimed in realization, ¡°Oh, it needs an on-and-off switch.¡±

    ¡°Or a timer following a schedule,¡± Frisk remarked.

    Keith was stunned. Rubbing his forehead, he said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯m getting overwhelmed.¡±

    Frisk shrugged. ¡°You now have a basic understanding of arrays. From this point on, I will show you the runes you need to become familiar with. Eventually, it¡¯ll be extremely complex arrays.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Keith looked at Frisk in surprise, ¡°you aren¡¯t teaching me anymore?¡±

    Frisk shook his head. ¡°Sorry, grandson, I don¡¯t have the time nor the desire to be a teacher. I¡¯m busy enough as it is. If it weren¡¯t because you needed some knowledge of arrays to form a Mana Body, I wouldn¡¯t have taught you what I did.¡±

    Keith¡¯s shoulders dropped in disappointment. He had gotten so wrapped up in learning runes that he¡¯d forgotten that was the plan at the beginning. However, he couldn¡¯t give up now. Keith felt like he¡¯d just gotten started.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Frisk patted Keith¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Why the sad face? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m the only one who knows arrays. Go to Adventurer Academy. They have an array department.¡±

    Keith¡¯s mood turned for the better.

    After that, Frisk handed Keith a bundle of rune models. According to Frisk, Keith needed to learn over ten thousand runes for the Mana Body Frisk envisioned. Such a task could well take Keith over a year. Thankfully, Frisk allowed Keith to use the time-accelerated Pocket Dimension for his studies.

    Although Adventurer Academy¡¯s school year had already started, a word from Yara allowed Keith to transfer into the array department without hassle. Since then, Keith studied under several renowned array masters during the day. At night, he returned to the time-accelerated Pocket Dimension to learn the runes Frisk wanted to use.

    During this period, Keith gained a newfound respect for alchemists, array masters, and other professions. He never knew how much time and effort went into learning a craft. As a layperson, he only ever saw the result ¨C not the years it took to get there.

    Perhaps because of this new understanding, Keith''s motivation to learn arrays changed from one of curiosity to that of a sincere scholar wanting to master his craft.

    Over the following months, Keith progressed rapidly, leaving his peers and teachers dumbfounded, thinking him a genius. They didn¡¯t know that Keith had nearly ten times more time to study than they did.

    The praise from Keith¡¯s teachers embarrassed him, knowing that the true genius was one of his classmates, an elf named Frey. She progressed just as fast as Keith, even without the time-accelerated Pocket Dimension. On many occasions, Keith sought her out for guidance.

    After a year in time-accelerated space, Frisk finally completed the framework of a theoretical Mana Body. Frisk called it MBv1. To see whether it was functional, he¡¯d use his Innate Gift. Aptly named ¡®Simulation,¡¯ Frisk could input variables and test the result in an imaginary space at the cost of mana.

    It was safe, efficient, and fast.

    Thus, using his knowledge of biology, anatomy, physics, etc., Frisk made his Innate Gift simulate a human body, within which was MBv1. The core of MBv1 was the size of a large palm, yet it consisted of over 1,000 arrays of varying complexity, making it a monstrous engine that could erupt with unimaginable power. Frisk had pushed his knowledge of arrays to the limit to create this giga-array of epic proportions.

    ¡°Haha!¡± Rubbing his hands in sheer delight, Frisk cackled as his innate skill consumed most of his mana pool. ¡°At last, my greatest creation. MBv1, show me your power!¡±

    RUUUMMBBLLEEEE!

    In the imaginary space, MBv1 thrummed to life as it sucked all the mana in the theoretical human¡¯s body as if taking a deep breath.

    CRUNCH!

    Frisk¡¯s laughter froze when the human warped into a ball of flesh.

    ¡°Huh, that wasn¡¯t supposed to happen,¡± Frisk muttered. Being the master of this theoretical space, he could rewind time, zoom in, or watch in slow motion, so he realized his mistake after repeated observations. Apparently, the runes responsible for sucking affected everything, not just mana. That oversight on Frisk¡¯s part would¡¯ve cost someone their life if they didn¡¯t have his innate gift to experiment safely.

    ¡°Oh, well, that¡¯s an easy fix,¡± Frisk shrugged and returned to work.

    The next day, MBv2 came into being. This time, the theoretical human exploded due to the mana pathways rupturing. After that, MBv3 and MBv4 came and went. Both resulted in death.

    Frisk endured failure after failure, never giving up. His focus was laser-sharp. With every test, he made revisions, and with every revision, he made progress. Day after day, week after week, Frisk poured his body and mind ¨C his entire being ¨C into this project.

    One day, Frisk observed the simulation results of test MBv2348 and realized five years had passed. He sighed, ¡°I¡¯ve exhausted my means. I¡¯ll stop here.¡±

    In this period, Frisk had long since created a safe and stable Mana Body, even as early as three years ago. However, during his research, Frisk realized the terrifying potential of Mana Bodies and just how much freedom there was. It was a field with immeasurable depth, and even after exploring it for so long, he considered himself a dabbler at most.

    But it was time to stop.

    Over the past three years, Frisk focused on optimizing every aspect of his theoretical Mana Body, from compression and transmission to suction and ejection. The result was MBv2348, the best he could create, given his current skills. Frisk understood that, so he promptly chose to call it quits.

    With a deep breath, Frisk collapsed onto a chair and fell silent.

    At this moment, only he knew how powerful his creation was.

    And he was terrified.

 Collect The World - Chapter 80

    Chapter 80

    Keith made his way up to the third floor of Frey¡¯s dorm and approached her apartment. The two had become good friends and frequently studied together over the past few months. Frey was a true genius when it came to arrays, and she could keep up with Keith even though she didn¡¯t have the Mind Division and Mind Enhancement skills.

    Adventurer Academy¡¯s array department had several recommendation slots that allowed talented students priority access to the next available Mind Division and Mind Enhancement skills. Unfortunately, even though the faculty awarded Frey priority access, her position in line was 992<sup>nd</sup>. There were simply too many people from various fields that needed them, mainly the military.

    The fact even someone as talented as Frey couldn¡¯t get those skills left Keith feeling profoundly guilty. He saw firsthand how much effort Frey put in to get priority access and was ashamed he acquired them by relying on his family. It felt like he had robbed it from someone more deserving, especially because it was due to his actions that caused the two skills to skyrocket in demand.

    That¡¯s why Keith started looking for ways to help Frey a month ago. At first, since he was making so much money from selling herbs, he asked Adeiv to contact the people at the front of the queue so he could buy it from them. Alas, the military strictly prohibited such behavior, forcing Keith to search for other options.

    It was yesterday when Adeiv called, saying he found someone with an innate gift that could create skill gems by duplicating a skill someone had learned. With such a useful innate gift, it went without saying that person had many clients, though they couldn¡¯t refuse Keith¡¯s lucrative offer.

    After Keith knocked, Frey¡¯s door opened, revealing an elf with shoulder-length green hair braided with colorful flowers and an angular face, surprised by Keith¡¯s visit. ¡°Keith? Oh no, did we have a session today?¡±

    Keith shook his head with a smile. ¡°No, I just came by to give you something. Can I come in?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Frey tucked her hair behind her left ear as she guided Keith in. Plants and vines covered the walls of her apartment, with blooming flowers everywhere. Compared to Annallee and Elora, Frey took her elven heritage much more seriously.

    When the two found a seat, Keith took out a small box and handed it to Frey. Wearing an expression of bewilderment, Frey opened the box and discovered two glittering skill gems embedded in slots.

    ¡°This!!¡± Frey¡¯s face warped in shock, finding the situation incomprehensible when she inspected the skill gems.

    When Frey looked to Keith for an answer, he smiled, ¡°They¡¯re real.¡±

    ¡°Where did you get these? How did you?¡± Frey struggled to accept what she held, her hands shaking from excitement.

    Keith gave a brief explanation, declining to comment on the exact price he paid. Frey¡¯s eyes widened in realization. ¡°So you had these two skills all along.¡±

    A moment later, Frey calmed down, and after some hesitation, she said, ¡°I- I can¡¯t accept this.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Keith spoke sincerely. ¡°You deserve it. Truly.¡±

    Seeing Frey still indecisive, Keith pretended to get angry. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not leaving until I see you activate them with my own eyes.¡±

    Unable to resist, tears formed in the corner of Frey¡¯s eyes as she abruptly embraced Keith in a tight hug. ¡°Thank you, thank you, thank you. This means so much to me, really.¡±

    Frey let go and picked up the two skill gems with shining eyes, unaware of Keith¡¯s stunned expression. When the skill gems disappeared in a flash of light, Keith recalled the dangers of Mind Division and quickly informed Frey.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Frey gasped as she looked around. ¡°My thoughts are so clear.¡±

    Once Frey became familiar with the new skills, she started imprinting runes with renewed enthusiasm. Frey was so focused she forgot about Keith, so he decided to leave. He knew from experience that once she was in the zone, she ignored everything else.

    As Keith left the premises, he had no doubt Frey¡¯s rune imprinting skills would soar over the following months and leave him in the dust. He didn¡¯t mind and was even looking forward to it.

    After visiting Frey, Keith went to Frisk¡¯s lab and entered the time-accelerated Pocket Dimension, where Keith found Frisk lounging on a hammock. Keith was surprised. Frisk was either working or sleeping, never resting.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here?¡± Frisk glanced over and lazily got out of the hammock.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Keith questioned as he approached.

    ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± Frisk said.

    Keith stopped. ¡°Huh? What is?¡±

    ¡°You know.¡± Frisk gave Keith a look.

    ¡°Uh, is it, you know, safe?¡± Keith asked, knowing how many fatalities there were in Frisk¡¯s simulations.

    ¡°Yes. Probably. Should be,¡± Frisk said non-committedly.

    Keith forced a smile. ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Watch.¡± Frisk took a deep breath and raised his palm as one rune after another popped into existence before shrinking to the size of a dot. In two minutes, a dense orb the size of a fist hovered above Frisk¡¯s palm, over a thousand arrays forming one whole.

    Ba-dum.

    Ba-dum.

    Ba-dum.

    The floating orb pulsed every moment, sending ripples through the air. Keith looked closely, mesmerized by its intricate structure. It was so advanced that he couldn''t understand a thing. Feeling unconfident, he looked up at Frisk. ¡°Are you sure I can construct this?¡±

    Frisk unraveled the orb before crossing his arms in thought. ¡°With your ability to divide your mind by 11 times, it¡¯s barely possible.¡±

    ¡°Barely possible?¡± Keith felt helpless. ¡°What happens if I fail?¡±

    Frisk coughed. ¡°Yes, well, that¡¯s why I¡¯ve made some preparations. I procured a divine grade Heart Calming Tea and crafted a divine grade Tranquility Array for you.¡±

    Keith¡¯s heart shook. ¡°Divine grade tea? Have the pioneers already reached that level?¡±

    He knew that over the past six months, professionals from every field researched endlessly to reach higher skill levels to make higher grade products. However, he hadn¡¯t thought people could make divine grade items so soon. Amazing.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°Some have,¡± Frisk explained. ¡°The problem is how stingy the Grandsky Realm is. Materials above mythic grade are hard to come by, so even though some people can craft divine grade items, they don¡¯t have the materials.¡±

    Keith made a guess. ¡°Then the tea should be very rare?¡±

    ¡°Very,¡± Frisk nodded. ¡°Besides granting a buff similar to the Mind Enhancement skill, it''s also a super elixir. Consider it a reward for being a test subject.¡±

    ¡°Uh, thanks,¡± Keith gulped.

    Frisk patted Keith¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. I¡¯ve broken down the Mana Body I made into three sections, so start with one. Once you learn all three, you just need to combine them. That should lower the difficulty significantly.¡±

    ¡°Sorry for the trouble,¡± Keith sighed, knowing the gap between their array skills was still miles apart.

    From this day forth, Keith secluded himself in the time-accelerated Pocket Dimension to study the runes required for Frisk¡¯s Mana Body. Thankfully, his studies over the past few months paid off, allowing him to learn all the required runes in less than two weeks.

    That was when things got tricky.

    Creating the Mana Body Frisk envisioned required Keith to form 1,122 arrays in one go, and with every array he formed, he needed to maintain it until the end. That meant it grew increasingly difficult as Keith progressed¡ªfortunately, his Mind Enhancement and Mind Division skills again showed their value.

    By the time Keith reached 1,009 arrays, his mental endurance had reached its limit. Every time that happened, he quickly unraveled the orb before it exploded. After a period of rest, he¡¯d try again. Every attempt brought him closer to success. Mind Enhancement and Mind Division gained levels daily, and Keith even felt some hidden growth in his mind¡¯s endurance.

    Finally, a month after repeated training, he successfully formed all 1,122 arrays needed, creating the same intricate orb Frisk had shown him. The difference was that Frisk only needed two minutes to form it, while Keith needed half an hour.

    The following day, Keith sat crosslegged in the center of the divine grade Tranquility Array and found its effects startling. It provided about half the benefit his level 685 Mind Enhancement skill gave. Feeling confident, Keith looked up at Frisk, who stood nearby with a rare solemn expression.

    Frisk nodded, giving the go-ahead.

    Taking a deep breath, Keith picked up the cup of divine grade Heart Calming Tea and swallowed it in several gulps. Ignoring the gain of 50 points in intelligence, Keith immediately felt unprecedented calmness. His tense muscles relaxed, and his anxiety vanished in the wind. It was like he could take in the whole world ¨C be it war or love ¨C with a rational mind. No matter what happened, he would take it in stride.

    While a small voice in the back of Keith¡¯s head was afraid of this uncaring mindset, he knew that this mental state would excel at creating a mega-array in the center of his chest without worrying about the consequences.

    Keith could already, albeit barely, form and maintain 1,122 arrays without the Tranquility array and Heart Calming Tea, and now that they affected him, he quickly formed one array after another.

    100¡­

    200¡­

    500¡­

    1,000¡­

    When Keith finished the last step, the orb at the center of his chest affixed itself into place just as the effects of the Heart Calming Tea wore off. With a soft click, the outer layer of the orb unfolded like a blossoming flower.

    Keith watched in amazement as five thick tendrils made of arrays spread alongside his skeletal structure, encompassing his four limbs and head. Then, like the threads of a rope, parts of the tendrils unwinded into several fibers that coiled around his bones and skull.

    At that moment, Keith felt the orb become one with his being. His mana, which normally lay dormant, grew active as the orb at the center of his chest pulsed. With a great suction force, Keith¡¯s mana flew into the orb, where the complicated arrays compressed it from a gas to a liquid.

    Now much denser, the orb sent the mana towards the pathways it had attached to Keith¡¯s skeletal structure. Soon, all of Keith¡¯s mana transformed as it followed a complete route through his body, ever flowing. At that point, a portion of the moving mana entered the arrays connected to the central tendrils, causing some 500 arrays along Keith¡¯s limbs, skull, and chest to whirl into action.

    Among them was the Fire Protection Array, Water Protection Array, Projectile Warding Array, Blunt Force Deflection Array, Speed Enhancement Array, Weight Reduction Array, and Physical Strength Array. Basically, they were all status-enhancing arrays. Their combined effects gave Keith an all-around boost, yet that wasn¡¯t even the main benefit of his Mana Body.

    The most important part was the orb at the center of Keith¡¯s chest. Not only could it draw in mana from Keith¡¯s surroundings at an astonishing speed, it diffused a layer of liquid mana around Keith¡¯s body, causing his body¡¯s parameters to skyrocket.

    Keith had never felt better.

    The liquid mana flowing through his body gave him a sense of comfort and security, which he felt even more profoundly through his Mana Manipulation skill.

    ¡°Well?¡± Frisk¡¯s voice brought Keith back to reality.

    The first thing Keith saw was a notification.

    Mana Body Completion Rate: 96%.

    Please choose whether to confirm or deny your design.

    Warning: Deconstructing an established Mana Body results in immense pain.

    Without hesitation, he chose to confirm. The moment he did, multiple notifications appeared.

    Congratulations! You¡¯ve performed a meritorious achievement!

    You¡¯ve acquired a new title: Mana Lifeform

    Calculating effects of Mana Body¡­

    Calculating effects of Mana body¡­

    Effects concluded.

    [Transcendent] Mana Body (96%)

    -All stats +70%

    -Damage from skills at or below level 500 -90%

    -Damage from skills at or below level 750 -60%

    -Damage from skills at or below level 1,000 -20%

    -All damage from regular attacks reduced by -50%

    -All critical damage taken reduced by -50%

    -Debuff resistance +50%

    -Mana regeneration rate +1,000%

    -Skill casting speed +200%

    -Skill cooldown reduction +25%

    -Skill mana cost -40%

    -All skills behave as if they¡¯re 1 grade higher (Limit: Transcendent)

    [Title] Mana Lifeform

    Description: Given to those who¡¯ve elevated their life level. Grants +1 affinity to mana.

    Keith¡¯s mind went blank, and he struggled to find the words to describe his reaction when he read the effects of his transcendent Mana Body. To be honest, he didn¡¯t expect it to be like this. Weren¡¯t the bonuses a little too exaggerated?

    ¡°You succeeded?¡± Frisk asked rhetorically with a wide smile as he swiped away a notification of his own for being the creator of the Mana Body design.

    ¡°All thanks to you,¡± Keith laughed while trying to get over another bout of sensory overload.

    ¡°Huh,¡± Frisk narrowed his eyes and observed the air before him. ¡°The effects are more than I expected. Did the System summarize everything?¡±

    ¡°You know the effects?¡± Keith was surprised, considering he didn¡¯t share his Mana Body¡¯s info.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget it''s my product, grandson. The System gave me a copyrighted design and a title for creating it,¡± Frisk explained.

    The two looked at each other and smiled, knowing their project was successful. They enjoyed the moment briefly before Keith asked, ¡°So, what now?¡±

    Frisk shrugged. ¡°I suppose Yara would want to have as many people as possible acquire this Mana Body to strengthen the Innate Nation¡¯s military forces. Too bad for her, the requirements are too stringent to mass produce. I can solve the Mana Manipulation problem, but how long would someone need to learn the required knowledge in arrays?¡±

    Keith thought about it. ¡°If you gained the Mana Manipulation skill, couldn¡¯t you form a Mana Body for people?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Frisk denied. ¡°You forgot mana is attuned. If I used my mana and injected it into someone else¡¯s body, they might get injured or worse. I¡¯d need a method to control other people¡¯s attuned mana for it to work.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Keith realized his mistake. ¡°Then you just need to lower the Mana Body¡¯s complexity.¡±

    ¡°I came to the same conclusion and already created a lesser design,¡± Frisk responded. ¡°While the effects are much worse, it¡¯d only take a person with average talent in arrays a few months to pick up the necessary knowledge.¡±

    Frisk gave Keith a stern look. ¡°Grandson, I suggest you put your array studies on hold and focus on improving your strength.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Keith was confused. Did Frisk not want him to use the time-accelerated Pocket Dimension anymore?

    ¡°Ah, well,¡± Frisk ruffled his hair with an annoyed expression. ¡°Yara¡¯s been hounding me lately to produce new weapons and arrays for war. Looks like she¡¯s feeling some pressure.¡±

    That gave Keith a start. ¡°Did we make contact with the other dimensions?¡±

    Frisk shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m just the science guy. You¡¯d need to ask her.¡±

    Keith looked down at his clenched fist, alarmed and worried.

    Was the Innate Dimension¡¯s era of peace about to end?

 Collect The World - Chapter 81 - FINAL CHAPTER OF BOOK 1

    Chapter 81

    Inside the mountain cliff behind New Hope, Yara and several high-ranking military officials like Frod, Catara, Luca, Markus, and Ska¡¯dur surrounded a round metallic table engraved with countless arrays. Depicted on its surface was an incredibly detailed map of the Grandsky Realm¡¯s 1,000 zones.

    ¡°Look here,¡± The head of the intelligence department, a lean male elf named Toa, spoke as he manipulated a console to zoom in on the central zones. There, icons representing various infrastructures hovered. ¡°After the Conceptual Dimension fell, the Elemental Dimension pulled back its forces and set up a sturdy defensive line to protect the zones under its control. With the top fighters of the Elemental Dimension keeping Monster King Tyranus in check, Tyranus could only send his minions to chip away at the Elemental Dimension¡¯s forces.¡±

    Toa glanced at everyone in the room as he zoomed out and changed the map to appear in three colors. ¡°Today, the Elemental Dimension controls 250 zones, the Sin Dimension 320, and Tyranus 430. It is from this large territory that Tyranus uses his status as a monster to his advantage. He sends all the monsters that spawn in his zones to attack the Elemental Dimension¡¯s forces, regardless of the losses. To him, it doesn¡¯t matter how many die since more will spawn.¡±

    Everyone turned grim from hearing about Tyranus¡¯ strategy as Toa continued, ¡°Although the downside to such a tactic is that the average level of the Elemental Dimension¡¯s forces has skyrocketed over the years, they¡¯re bleeding and bleeding hard.¡±

    When Toa paused, Luca asked, ¡°What about the Sin Dimension?¡±

    Toa moved the map to the border between the Sin Dimension¡¯s and Tyranus¡¯ zones. ¡°Guerrilla warfare. As a monster, Tyranus refuses to allow another monster to grow to his level, so the Sin Dimension has been nibbling away at his forces by relying on their numbers and the fact Tyranus can only be in one place at a time. When Tyranus tried to invade the Sin Dimension and massacre the demon populace, Wrath, Greed, and Gluttony temporarily joined forces and repelled him. The demons who replaced the slain sins are still too weak to matter.¡±

    Luca nodded. ¡°What¡¯s the Elemental Dimension¡¯s plan?¡±

    Toa placed both hands on the table¡¯s edge and answered, ¡°They¡¯re using Tyranus¡¯ minions to nurture a group of elites in hopes of killing him by relying on numbers.¡±

    Frod was confused. ¡°Can¡¯t Tyranus think of that, yo? Why he still be sending free experience their way?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a monster. The System compels him to act,¡± Yara answered matter-of-factly.

    Everyone fell silent and thought of the irony behind Tyranus¡¯ actions.

    A moment later, Toa continued, ¡°Both the Elemental and Sin Dimension knows Tyranus¡¯ days are numbered. What matters is the fallout from his death, as he¡¯s guaranteed to drop transcendent grade equipment and skills, along with the Conceptual Dimension¡¯s core. We¡¯ve all seen the stats of the robe Fabric of Moonlight that Elaine had. Undoubtedly, whoever claims Tyranus¡¯ loot has high odds of becoming the Grandsky Realm¡¯s ruler.¡±

    Markus clenched a fist and asked, ¡°How long do we have before the other dimensions act?¡±

    Toa took a moment to respond. ¡°Through a few special innate gifts, we¡¯ve determined that a major event will occur in ten years at most.¡±

    Frod shook his head while Luca turned grim. Many had similar reactions. The Innate Dimension had just entered the race, yet they learned it would end in ten years. How could they catch up to the other dimensions in so little time?

    Yara surveyed the room and observed that no one had much confidence, save for Ska¡¯dur, who had bright eyes as he looked at the map like a kid looking at candy. Holding back a chuckle, she coughed to draw everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°After learning about our opponents, you all seem to have forgotten our advantages. The situation is not as dire as you believe. Toa, show them.¡±

    Toa nodded and swiped the console, making the hologram of an array appear. ¡°What you see here is a mythic grade Defense Strengthening array made by a renowned grandmaster from the Elemental Dimension with a skill level over 700. It can increase the durability of fortifications by 50% against physical attacks.¡± Toa switched the image. ¡°In comparison, here is a similar array made by one of our grandmasters when they had a skill level of 500. It has an increase of 90%. As you can see, the difference is startling. And this isn¡¯t an isolated case.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Toa swiped from one image to another. ¡°My department comprehensively analyzed the Elemental Dimension¡¯s various professional fields, comparing their arrays, potions, equipment, military weapons, etc., to ours. There is no mistake: our technology surpasses theirs in all aspects.¡±

    Toa glanced around and finished with one final sentence, ¡°And that was before we entered the Grandsky Realm.¡±

    While everyone was surprised and delighted over this revelation, Yara felt unprecedented satisfaction well up within her. The staggering difference between the Innate Nation and Elemental Nation¡¯s technology was no coincidence.

    When Yara began developing the Innate Nation, one of her priorities was education. She invested heavily in policies that incentivized the various professionals to share their knowledge and take on a teaching role. To her, it was a humbling experience to watch a society¡¯s total knowledge grow from understandable to incomprehensible as people went from generalists to specialists. Toa¡¯s report validated all her efforts, proving once again she was on the right path.

    ¡°Can your technology defeat level 1000s or Monster King Tyranus?¡± A dissenting voice came from Luca¡¯s side, where a human woman with short dark hair fitted in sleek black leather armor stood with her arms crossed. The woman¡¯s cold gaze contrasted greatly with her matchless beauty. Her name was Commander Rayel, and she was the only outsider at the meeting, as well as the leader of Radiant Glow, one of the Grandsky Realm¡¯s top mercenary groups. Coincidentally, she had the highest level in the room, reaching level 889.

    Following Yara¡¯s capture of Pierson¡¯s party half a year ago, the Innate Nation and Radiant Glow formed a secret partnership. What Rayel wanted was an opportunity to rise even further. As a member of the younger generation, combined with her common background, she had already reached the limits of what the top forces would allow, lest she completely devotes herself to their cause.

    Her strategy of releasing broodmother-type pets into the wild to eventually harvest them was just one of her attempts at breaking the restraints imposed on her; she was constantly searching for more opportunities. That¡¯s why when Yara, disguised as Elaine, sought her out, she didn¡¯t hesitate.

    Toa glanced at Yara before answering Rayel with a frown. ¡°Not presently. Given time, however¡­.¡±

    Rayel was skeptical. ¡°To be frank, there is no potion, array, or crafted weapon in the current Grandsky Realm that comes close to threatening a level 1,000. Let¡¯s say you can create one. How long will it take to develop to that point? Decades? Centuries?¡±

    Many felt aggrieved that Rayel looked down on their technology, though none refuted her. Yara turned to Rayel with a harmless smile, ¡°Are you dissatisfied?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Rayel lowered her head under Yara¡¯s gaze, unable to take this legendary figure lightly. It was mainly because of Elaine¡¯s reputation that Rayel readily accepted Yara¡¯s offer. The deal was simple: Rayel would tell the Innate Nation the location of all the broodmother-type pets she released over the years and information about the current factions. In return, the Innate Nation would give Rayel the means to grow.

    While Rayel had upheld her end of the bargain, the Innate Nation had yet to provide. Toa showing off their technology naturally led to her thinking that this was related to their payment, leading to her visible disappointment. She didn¡¯t believe that arrays and potions would allow her to soar, no matter how amazing they were.

    ¡°You underestimate us,¡± Yara stood proudly. ¡°We don¡¯t need decades or centuries. Since you don¡¯t like what you¡¯ve seen, I¡¯ll give you a glimpse at what technology can do.¡±

    Toa took Yara¡¯s words as the cue to bring up the hologram showcasing the Mana Body Frisk created a few days ago, accompanied by a detailed explanation of what it was. Rayel struggled to believe the stats she saw. They were too exaggerated.

    Rayel clenched her fists and suppressed her hope and desire, asking, ¡°Is this real?¡±

    Yara chuckled. ¡°Yes. We have several versions of varying quality. Which one you form depends on your talent and effort¡ªa little warning: don¡¯t aim too high.¡±

    When Rayel nodded to show her understanding, Yara continued while the iron was hot, ¡°The Mana Body is just one of our means. We plan to contend against the Elemental and Sin Dimensions and emerge victorious, so how can this be all we have?¡±

    Rayel¡¯s heart leaped as she asked, ¡°What are you suggesting?¡±

    Yara raised her pinky. ¡°To tighten the knot between us even further. Your Radiant Glow just so happens to provide a suitable identity for us to infiltrate the central zones. With it, we can accomplish many things.¡±

    Rayel fell silent. The risk involved had grown much too great. Ultimately, she replied, ¡°I need some time to think.¡±

    Shortly after, Rayel left, allowing the meeting to transition into a discussion on how they would move forward now that Rayel had provided them with the intelligence they needed.

    Not unexpectedly, the upper echelons of the Innate Nation weren¡¯t the only ones planning. Whether it be the leaders of the Elemental Dimension, Wrath, Greed, Gluttony, or even Monster King Tyranus, they all desired to be the final victor and become the ultimate ruler of the Grandsky Realm.

    From a certain perspective, the Grandsky Realm was a chessboard with many players, and who was ahead or behind remained a mystery. The only referee was the System, observing and waiting for the next stage of the game.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1

    Flames swept across Monster Lord Cangu¡¯s settlement as the Innate Nation¡¯s elite hundred thousand strong army marched forward. An impenetrable wall of shields and barriers protected the soldiers in the back from harm, allowing them to launch attacks that tore apart Cangu¡¯s minions. Against the Innate Nation¡¯s disciplined army, Cangu¡¯s underlings found themselves hopelessly outmatched.

    Up above, Markus hovered in the sky and observed the burning city in the distance, his complexion sunken. The fact that monsters had created a primitive society challenged his worldview.

    Even now, Markus couldn¡¯t find a justification for the massacre happening below him. If monsters could form a civilization, what made them so different from him? What right did he have to kill them? Depressingly, the reservations Markus held were his alone. Whether it be his peers or subordinates, none found any empathy with monsters. Instead, they took delight in the benefits they gained from killing them.

    Troubled by his thoughts, Markus only noticed Ska¡¯dur¡¯s presence when the man arrived at his side. Looking over, Markus saw Ska¡¯dur¡¯s torso and right arm mangled beyond recognition, revealing that his fight against Monster Lord Cangu was anything but easy.

    ¡°He¡¯s dead,¡± Ska¡¯dur grunted as he applied medicinal lotion to his wounds.

    Markus nodded, ¡°Good work.¡±

    ¡°Title isn¡¯t bad,¡± Ska¡¯dur winced from the pain. ¡°Gives 15% effectiveness to primary stats.¡±

    Solo killing Cangu earned Ska¡¯dur the divine grade adventurer title. As there weren¡¯t many monsters at that grade, Ska¡¯dur wanted to fight him alone. Although risky, his gamble paid off, netting him a hard-to-earn title.

    After applying the medicine, Ska¡¯dur clenched his left hand with a wild grin. The noticeable increase in power from the title left him delighted. Unfortunately, the dour vibe coming from Markus ruined the mood. Ska¡¯dur glanced over. ¡°Still haven¡¯t let go of those whimsical thoughts?¡±

    ¡°Am I a fool?¡± Markus sighed wearily.

    Ska¡¯dur smacked his lips and observed the battle occurring below. ¡°Brother, for someone who thinks so much, why haven¡¯t you realized the difference between you and everyone else yet?¡±

    Markus looked at Ska¡¯dur in confusion. ¡°What difference?¡±

    ¡°Heh,¡± Ska¡¯dur gestured to the world before them. ¡°Killing for loot and experience, conflict and war, it¡¯s all a part of the paradigm set up by the System. Your family, friends, subordinates, and everyone else has embraced this truth openly.¡±

    Ska¡¯dur turned and pointed at Markus¡¯ chest. ¡°Only you alone resist.¡±

    Seeing Markus fall silent, Ska¡¯dur continued, ¡°Just look down there. Look at the revelry they have upon slaying monsters. To them, it isn¡¯t sentient life they see ¨C it¡¯s experience and items.¡±

    Markus observed the battle below and contemplated Ska¡¯dur¡¯s words, struggling to accept the truth. A moment later, a sharp gleam flashed across Markus¡¯ eyes as he said, ¡°So it all comes down to the System. Its rules have nurtured a mentality that rewards plundering and killing.¡±

    Markus paused and recalled crafting skills. They leveled from knowledge, not conflict. Since both routes to growth worked successfully, Markus realized that a person¡¯s environment shaped them more than he thought.

    Startled by this conclusion, Markus looked at the sky and grew determined. ¡°I understand now. My biggest obstacle is the System itself.¡±

    Ska¡¯dur smiled widely when the aura around Markus transformed into one of resolve. Taking a deep breath, Markus continued, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I need to become a deterrent equal to the System.¡±

    ¡°Hah!¡± Ska¡¯dur burst into laughter when he heard Markus¡¯ insane declaration. ¡°Brother, I knew you¡¯d say that.¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Markus chuckled. ¡°Are we crazy?¡±

    Ska¡¯dur slapped Markus¡¯ shoulder. ¡°I want to reach the peak, and you want to subvert the System¡¯s rules. If we aren¡¯t crazy, what are we?¡±

    As Markus and Ska¡¯dur chatted, the last of Cangu¡¯s minions died an hour later. A hundred thousand had faced off against a horde of three hundred thousand monsters and emerged victorious. Compared to the complete wipeout of monsters, only a handful on the Innate Nation¡¯s side had fallen.

    Markus watched as his army scoured the battlefield for loot and noted the reasons for the overwhelming victory: equipment and the diversity of innate gifts. As a result of the Innate Nation¡¯s developed crafting industry, they could supply each soldier with a complete set of ancient grade armor, weapons, and potions to handle different situations. Additionally, the intelligence department spent months relocating squads to get the greatest synergy between each squad member¡¯s innate gift.

    Observing the soldiers below, Ska¡¯dur furrowed his brows. ¡°I underestimated this Highdawn army of yours. In the face of their might, I can only flee.¡±

    Recently, Ska¡¯dur had grown so much over the past six months that he felt nothing could stop him. However, seeing the Highdawn troops in live combat made him realize how na?ve he was. No matter how strong, an individual could never match a disciplined army.

    Sensing Ska¡¯dur¡¯s dissatisfaction, Markus explained, ¡°Each member of the Highdawn army is the best the Innate Dimension has to offer. All of them are mythic grade adventurers and have undergone strict training. Including the artisans supporting them from the back, it stands to reason you have no chance. This is the power of civilization, brother.¡±

    Ska¡¯dur snorted. ¡°You just can¡¯t help yourself from mentioning civilization, can you?¡±

    ¡°I really can¡¯t,¡± Markus shrugged with a sheepish smile.

    ¡°I just thought of something,¡± Ska¡¯dur frowned. ¡°If our Highdawn army is this strong, how strong are the armies of the Elemental and Sin dimensions?¡±

    Markus grew solemn. ¡°By working with Radiant Glory, we¡¯ll find out soon.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Rayel accepted our proposal?¡± Ska¡¯dur raised an eyebrow.

    Markus nodded. ¡°Speaking of which, you¡¯re among the few selected to head to the central zones. There¡¯ll be a meeting about it later.¡±

    ¡°Great!¡± Ska¡¯dur cracked his knuckles. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see what we¡¯re up against.¡±

    Markus shook his head at Ska¡¯dur¡¯s enthusiasm. Wanting to talk about something lighter, he asked, ¡°How¡¯s Rhea been?¡±

    Ska¡¯dur sported a grin. ¡°Much better. She¡¯s finally started talking to me again. Still a bit of a lone wolf, though. The only company she has is her monster pets. What about yours?¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t be happier. Keith¡¯s taking some initiative and pursuing his own interests. Even has a lady friend,¡± Markus said proudly.

    Ska¡¯dur whistled. ¡°I heard he and Frisk developed the Mana Body together. What¡¯s with that?¡±

    ¡°A series of coincidences,¡± Markus replied with a shrug.

    Ska¡¯dur hummed. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to sense mana for a few days now. Even with Frisk¡¯s Tranquility Array, progress is slow. Can I¡­. Ah, forget it.¡±

    ¡°What? Too proud to ask a youngin for advice?¡± Markus found Ska¡¯dur¡¯s expression hilarious.

    Ska¡¯dur rubbed his beard to hide his embarrassment. Laughing, Markus explained, ¡°The method Keith used was to overload his body with mana to heighten his sense of it. I think he said he consumed almost twenty million points in less than a minute. The process almost killed him, so I wouldn¡¯t recommend copying him.¡±

    Ska¡¯dur¡¯s eyes popped open in shock. ¡°What the slimeball?! How¡¯d he manage that?¡±

    ¡°A sub-ability of his innate gift acts as a mana bank of sorts,¡± Markus answered, equally bewildered by Keith¡¯s feat.

    Processing the information, Ska¡¯dur quickly readjusted his expectations. ¡°With my knowledge of arrays, I thought it¡¯d be enough to get a Mana Body of my own. I should¡¯ve guessed something so powerful wouldn¡¯t come so easily. Looks like I can only take it slow and steady.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a matter of talent,¡± Markus said with some bitterness. ¡°This is classified, but someone unlocked Mana Manipulation on their first attempt, while a handful of others only needed a day. They¡¯re studying arrays now.¡±

    ¡°Talent, huh?¡± Ska¡¯dur felt slightly deflated after hearing that, though he laughed a moment later. ¡°Whatever. I¡¯m already so talented. It¡¯d be too easy if I were perfect.¡±

    ¡°As always, your ¡®confidence¡¯ is admirable,¡± Markus remarked, having gotten used to Ska¡¯dur¡¯s personality long ago.

    Caressed by the wind, the two fell into a momentary silence before Markus said, ¡°The operation to expand the magic network into the surrounding zones starts tomorrow. I¡¯m going to have Keith join one of the squads to get some practical military experience. If you want, I can include Rhea too.¡±

    Ska¡¯dur quickly voiced his concern. ¡°What¡¯s the expected danger level?¡±

    ¡°Low,¡± Markus paused. ¡°However, anything¡¯s possible. I can only guarantee one of my trusted aides will secretly watch over them.¡±

    Ska¡¯dur thought about it long and hard before he eventually agreed. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll let you handle it.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Markus smiled, feeling grateful that Ska¡¯dur was entrusting his daughter to him.

    At that moment, an officer riding a griffin flew up from below. Hovering before Markus, they reported, ¡°Sir, everything¡¯s finished. Your orders?¡±

    ¡°Well done,¡± Markus waved his hand. ¡°Return to New Hope.¡±

    The officer saluted, their eyes filled with respect. Shortly after, the army organized itself before heading northeast. On the way back, Markus browsed the System¡¯s report regarding the battle, noting everyone¡¯s performance. At the same time, he thought about the major operation beginning tomorrow, hoping that everything went as planned.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2

    Keith walked along the streets of New Hope, reading the report in his hands as he made his way to his team¡¯s gathering point. Detailed within was information regarding operation skynet, the operation Markus roped Keith into joining a few days ago.

    The files stated that while initially created by Frisk, scientists later spent many years repurposing the magic network pillars into a strategic weapon in preparation for the opening of the Grandsky Realm.

    Over the past six months, the project''s scientists further optimized the magic network pillars, and under the continuous improvement of their skill levels, they successfully created the ninth-generation magic network pillar and satisfied the higher-ups, allowing operation skynet to finally begin.

    While reading, the report reminded Keith that not every technological breakthrough was due to Frisk. There were thousands of other people constantly pushing the boundaries of science.

    When Keith reached the end of the report, he sucked in a deep breath. What a novel idea, he thought. And they actually succeeded. Operation skynet boiled down to setting up an array that covered multiple zones. More importantly, even if enemies destroyed one magic network pillar, it wouldn¡¯t cause the collapse of the rest of the array. Instead, each pillar functioned as both the main and sub array. The creators referred to it as a dynamic array.

    With Keith learning arrays for several years now, he had a general idea of how incredible this achievement was. Reading the report had further increased his motivation to study arrays, even though he knew he had a long way to go.

    A few minutes later, Keith arrived at a large open field south of New Hope, where thousands of people stood in small groups. Following the map in his report, Keith soon found his teammates, and upon identifying his commanding officer, Keith approached and said, ¡°Sir.¡±

    Appearing not much older than Keith, Lieutenant Surk had a trimmed beard and high ponytail. He faced Keith and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve read your file. Command said not to give you special treatment, so don¡¯t expect any from me.¡±

    ¡°Naturally,¡± Keith agreed.

    ¡°Good.¡± Lieutenant Surk pointed behind him. ¡°Line up and wait.¡±

    Seeing Keith listen to him without any fuss, Lieutenant Surk felt like he worried for nothing. After all, the report stated Keith grew up as a civilian, so he expected a lack of discipline. The last thing Surk wanted was to order High Commander Walker¡¯s son around. That just spelled trouble.

    Unaware of Surk¡¯s concerns, Keith found his spot and made sure to stand properly. As he waited, Keith noticed his teammates glancing at him occasionally. Bewildered, Keith looked down and found his apparel in order, so he thought he had something on his face.

    Faking a cough, Keith covered his mouth and secretly attempted to clean his cheeks and nose. When they still kept looking, he activated Sensory Link on the palm of his hand to check out his face and was relieved when he found nothing.

    Just then, the woman to his right leaned over and whispered, ¡°Hey, are you really High Commander Walker¡¯s son?¡±

    Feeling enlightened, Keith replied, ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Huh!¡± The woman looked Keith up and down. ¡°I kinda see the resemblance.¡±

    Following Keith¡¯s response, the rest of his team started bombarding him with questions. Keith answered honestly. For example, when one person asked what Markus¡¯ type was, Keith said, ¡®Fierce and wild.¡¯ The questions only grew stranger from there.

    At some point, Surk harrumphed loudly, causing everyone to fall silent. To them, he looked disappointed, but inwardly, he was secretly intrigued by the gossip. Forget it. To be the leader, he had to act like one. However, maybe he could find a chance to ask Keith some questions of his own. Alone, of course.

    Fifteen minutes later, a dozen people flew into the air without mounts and hovered above the two hundred thousand people gathered in the field. Among them were Major General Luca, Major General Alyssia, Major General Frod, and High Commander Markus. The field fell silent in a heartbeat as two hundred thousand pairs of eyes gathered on their figures.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    High Commander Markus spoke first, his voice reaching the entire field. ¡°Over six months have passed since we arrived in the Grandsky Realm. By chance, the other dimensions haven¡¯t discovered our presence, but with every passing day, we roll the dice. That ends now. After today, we¡¯ll hold the initiative in our hands. No longer will we need to restrict our movement to Serenity Canyon. No longer will we need to hold back our growth. With skynet in place, we¡¯ll have the confidence to expand.¡± Markus paused, his eyes growing sharp. ¡°That¡¯s why today¡¯s operation must succeed. If you encounter people from other dimensions, capture them immediately; if you can¡¯t, kill them. Do I make myself clear?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Everyone around Keith shouted in unison, the combined might of their voices sending a shockwave throughout the field.

    Major General Luca waved her arm. ¡°Move out!¡±

    At her command, the army collectively summoned griffins and flew off after splitting into three groups, each heading to one of the zones bordering Serenity Canyon. To the northeast was Typhoon Beach, to the southeast was Mandara Desert, and to the southwest was Redpine Rainforest. The destination of Keith¡¯s group was Typhoon Beach.

    As they traveled, Keith watched as one team after another split off from the main group until, eventually, Keith¡¯s team separated as well. Half an hour later, Keith found that a large body of water took up half of Typhoon Beach, with the other half covered in sand and dried wood. Keith felt the temperature drop as he flew deeper into the zone. Occasionally, he saw the shadows of large aquatic creatures swimming deep in the water, their vast size making him wary.

    Finally, after two hours of flight, Lieutenant Surk had the team land near a large pile of rotting tree trunks. Right when Keith¡¯s feet touched the ground, he sensed the activation of a skill beneath the sand.

    ¡°Careful!¡± Keith shouted and cast Cold Snap, using his will to direct the freezing effect downward just as a giant crab broke through the surface. A deafening snap came from the crab¡¯s pincer, the monster¡¯s slowed movements causing it to miss its target.

    [Mythic] Beach Crab ¨C Level 650

    Health: 2,000,000/2,000,000

    Keith¡¯s team retreated and observed the monster before them. The color of its carapace was dark red, and it reached almost a story high and fifteen feet across. Most notable was its massive pincers, easily capable of snapping a horse in two.

    Thanks to Keith¡¯s mana affinity from his Mana Lifeform title, he could vaguely sense the mana flow in his surroundings. That¡¯s why he quickly shouted, ¡°There¡¯s more!¡±

    From Keith¡¯s initial warning, Liuetentient Surk knew he could trust Keith¡¯s judgment, so he slammed the ground with his palm. ¡°Earthshatter!¡±

    BOOM!

    A shockwave spread downward, injuring the Beach Crabs hiding below. Taking this chance to retreat, Keith¡¯s team regrouped in the distance. Tessa, the woman who first asked Keith about Markus, laughed, ¡°Nice landing spot, Surk.¡±

    ¡°Just some bad luck,¡± Surk replied as eleven more Beach Crabs emerged from the sand.

    Keith¡¯s team consisted of six combatants and four engineers responsible for setting up the magic network pillars, meaning it was six against twelve. Thankfully, none of them were your run-of-the-mill fighters. With the initial surprise over, Surk assumed a boxing stance and rushed forward.

    ¡°I¡¯ll restrain them!¡± Keith yelled and divided his mind before casting Entangling Roots. Under Keith¡¯s meticulous control, dozens of thick branches sprang from the sand and wrapped around the Beach Crab¡¯s limbs, binding them completely. In a blur, Surk appeared below the torso of the closest Beach Crab and punched upward with a swift uppercut.

    BANG!

    The force of the punch sent the Beach Crab flying upward, only for Keith¡¯s Entangling Roots to pull it back. Surprise covered Surk¡¯s face, wondering why Keith¡¯s skill didn¡¯t break. He wasn¡¯t aware that Keith¡¯s Mana Body raised all his skills by one grade, making his Entangling Roots skill ancient grade.

    However, as a veteran soldier, Surk didn¡¯t let his confusion slow him down. One punch after another slammed into the belly of the Beach Crab, mincing its internal organs into mush. The monster died in a few seconds, allowing Surk to move on to the next. At the same time, the other four fighters in the team took on a crab of their own.

    When the last monster shattered into motes of light, everyone looked at Keith in a new light. From beginning to end, Keith had locked the dozen Beach Crabs in place, making the entire fight a cinch. They wondered how high his Entangling Roots skill level was.

    Surk composed himself and ordered, ¡°Clear the perimeter.¡±

    With the fight over, one of the engineers approached Surk and informed, ¡°Sir, we¡¯ll need a little more than an hour to setup the pillar. The terrain is too loose, so we need extra time to reinforce it.¡±

    Surk nodded. ¡°Work at ease. We¡¯ll cover you.¡±

    The engineers quickly got started. First, they dug out a square hole in the sand, large enough to fit a mansion. Then, they summoned a Pocket Dimension and removed reinforced cement blocks from within. After filling the hole, they installed a massive rectangular pillar six stories high atop the cement platform. Completely black, the pillar had vein-like markings across its surface. There was a low hum as it activated, and after a few tests, the engineers stepped back, satisfied.

    Surk clapped his hands to gather everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Good work. Only two pillars left, then we¡¯re done.¡±

    Summoning their griffins, the team prepared to set off when a red flare shot into the sky not far from their location. Surk¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°Not good, that¡¯s an emergency signal.¡±

    Promptly changing directions, Surk led everyone toward the flare. Keith¡¯s heart grew increasingly tight as they closed in. Did monsters overrun the team, or was it the appearance of people from the other dimensions?

    He hoped it was the former.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3

    As Keith¡¯s team flew at full speed, Tessa suddenly pointed to the right. ¡°Look over there!¡±

    To the team¡¯s dismay, a second flare appeared further up the beach, followed by another inland. In moments, five flares lit up the sky. Anyone with a brain could tell something was wrong, as the odds monsters had overwhelmed five teams at different locations were slim.

    ¡°We¡¯re under attack,¡± Lieutenant Surk declared with a grim face.

    Keith immediately thought of the Elemental Dimension. Even though Typhoon Beach had little appeal due to being so far from the Elemental Dimension¡¯s gateway, it was still their territory.

    ¡°Remember, safety first. If you can¡¯t capture them, don¡¯t hesitate to go for the kill,¡± Lieutenant Surk reminded.

    Keith¡¯s heart lurched. The Elemental Dimension consisted of the same species as the Innate Dimension. They weren¡¯t monsters; they were orcs, dwarves, elves, and humans, all with family, friends, and dreams. The thought of killing them filled Keith with revulsion, and yet when he looked at his teammates, Keith wondered if he was crazy. Why didn¡¯t any of them seem reluctant?

    Before Keith could consider his options, his team spotted a battle in the distance. Over a dozen people assaulted a blue dome, within which were seven Innate Nation soldiers. Outside the mana barrier lay three bodies donning the familiar silver-blue armor.

    ¡°Get ready,¡± Lieutenant Surk growled.

    Keith¡¯s teammates jumped off their griffins upon arriving at the scene, and with no time to think, Keith followed.

    ¡°Up above!¡± An elven woman shouted and raised her bow to the sky. With a loud twang, dozens of ice-imbued arrows whistled through the air.

    Lieutenant Surk¡¯s pupils dilated as he clapped his hands, producing a shockwave that knocked the arrows away. Behind him, Tessa twirled her staff, turning the ground underneath the enemy party into quicksand. The skill forced the enemy back, allowing the Innate Nation¡¯s soldiers hiding under the mana barrier to take the offensive.

    Lieutenant Surk dashed forward when he hit the ground and threw himself headfirst into the enemy party. Tessa and the other four fighters in Keith¡¯s team followed in Surk¡¯s footsteps, doing what they could to kill the enemy. Seeing the dead bodies of their comrades left them with little desire to capture the enemy alive.

    When Keith landed, he stood still, his mind blank. Everything was happening too fast. Looking down, he saw one of the Innate Nation¡¯s soldiers at his feet, their eyes glazed over. The sight overlapped with the time Uncle Doven killed the possessed Cami, and he was as paralyzed now as he was then.

    What had he signed up for? Keith thought this would be a simple escort mission and that the only opponents would be monsters. He didn¡¯t want to kill anyone!

    Unprepared, a spell abruptly exploded not far from Keith, knocking him to the ground. He turned and came face to face with the corpse. Dark thoughts struck him: what was it all for? A life ended, and for what? A chance for ownership of the Grandsky Realm?This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    Just then, Keith heard heavy gasps behind him. Flipping over, he found one of the Innate Nation soldiers lying in a growing pool of blood. The soldier was female and covered in deep gashes. Blood continuously poured out of her wounds, yet with an arm missing and the other broken, she struggled to apply the medicinal paste to her wounds.

    ¡°No, no, no!¡± She cursed in increasing alarm.

    Anxious, Keith rushed over and dropped to his knees at the soldier''s side, sand flying everywhere. He forcefully took the medicinal paste from the soldier¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Let me do it.¡±

    ¡°Hurry! I don¡¯t have much health left!¡± The woman shouted in between gasps.

    Without hesitation, Keith roughly applied the medicinal paste to the soldier¡¯s injuries. Out of the five wounds, it only took Keith a few seconds to remove the bleeding effect from three.

    The woman¡¯s face paled as she watched her health gauge drop. ¡°No, no, I don¡¯t want to die!¡±

    ¡°Just one more,¡± Keith consoled, his heart beating so hard he could hear it. After wrapping the last wound, he looked over in relief only to find the light gone from the woman¡¯s eyes. Keith froze. He was too late.

    ¡°Keith, what are you doing!?¡± Lieutenant Surk roared from afar upon seeing Keith doing nothing.

    With a blank expression, Keith turned and saw the Innate Nation¡¯s soldiers on the defensive. Even though both sides had roughly equal numbers, the people from the Elemental Dimension were over a hundred levels higher, and they weren¡¯t like Cangu¡¯s minions, who had poor equipment and limited skills. As a result, the condition of Lieutenant Surk¡¯s side worsened with every passing moment.

    Knowing that they could turn defeat into victory if Keith joined, Tessa, who was the closest, glanced at Keith and shouted, ¡°Please, we need your help!¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Keith stuttered.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to kill them, just use your roots,¡± Tessa implored, unaware of a volley of ice-imbued arrows heading her way.

    ¡°Look out!¡± Keith shouted, his voice hoarse.

    Hearing Keith¡¯s warning, Tessa instinctively dodged to the side, yet not before three arrows broke through her Mana Barrier and ripped off her arm.

    ¡°Ugh!¡± Tessa powered through the pain and returned fire, sending a barrage of skills toward the enemy archer.

    Eyes bloodshot, Keith looked over the battlefield and saw that his allies were in worse shape than Tessa. They were barely hanging on. Defeat was imminent.

    Unwilling to see his teammates die, Keith staggered to his feet.

    Slowly raising a hand, the ground in the distance abruptly split apart. Thick, gnarled roots erupted from below, creaking and groaning as they encompassed the enemy team. Not wanting to fall victim to Keith¡¯s Entangling Roots, a mage teleported away while a warrior ripped apart Keith¡¯s roots with his bare hands.

    Even as the enemy team avoided Keith¡¯s roots using various methods, the elven archer went one step further and fired a cluster of arrows at Keith, hoping to interrupt his spellcasting. Keith multicast Mana Bolts in response. With a flick of his finger, the Mana Bolts flew out and struck the tip of each arrow midflight.

    Just as Keith dealt with the arrows, an enemy mage teleported behind Keith, lashing a Water Whip at his head. As if Keith could see behind him, he bent forward and kicked back, dodging the attack and releasing a Fireball from his foot.

    BOOM!

    The spell struck the mage in the chest and sent him flying. Before the man hit the ground, he teleported again, appearing above Keith. Pushing his hands forward, the mage conjured a swirling pillar of water that barreled down on Keith.

    WHOOSH!

    Keith stepped to the side as five arrows flew past and simultaneously summoned two curved Ice Walls to block the enemy¡¯s Water Pillar. Growing anxious, the mage and archer kept up their attacks, trying everything they could to disrupt Keith¡¯s Entangling Roots, which he channeled the entire time, yet their efforts were futile.

    While defending, Keith quickly caught four people with his roots, binding them as a spider would.

    ¡°Good job!¡± Lieutenant Surk shouted as he and the others took this chance to kill the four captives one after another. With four enemy combatants dead, the Innate Nation¡¯s side quickly gained the upper hand. Ultimately, Keith harassed the remaining opponents with his roots while his teammates finished the job.

    Shortly after the fight ended, another team from the Innate Nation flew overhead, though before they landed, Lieutenant Surk motioned for them to head to another flare. In the end, a dozen teams worked together and resolved the situation.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4

    Lieutenant Surk brought Keith and the others to a dried log, where an inconspicuous hole in the sand led to an underground passage. Upon descending, their view widened as the group entered a large base previously occupied by the people from the Elemental Dimension.

    When Keith¡¯s team walked in, they saw Innate Nation soldiers providing food and water to a large gathering of elves, dwarves, humans, and orcs. Keith immediately noticed their poor condition, as all the foreigners were skinny and lacked decent clothing.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± an elderly orc teared up and gratefully took a sandwich from a soldier.

    Many of the foreigners were crying in happiness. Just earlier, they were held captive against their will by the people who fought Keith and the rest. Some were imprisoned for weeks and had long lost hope.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to encounter slavers right off the bat,¡± a soldier whispered to his friend not far from Keith.

    ¡°It¡¯s bizarre,¡± the soldier¡¯s friend huffed. ¡°I thought demons would be into the slave trade, not people from the Elemental Dimension.¡±

    The soldier shook his head. ¡°Talk about culture shock.¡±

    His friend lowered his voice. ¡°Hey, what are we going to do with them? Let them go?¡±

    ¡°How should I know?¡± The soldier shrugged.

    To the Innate Nation¡¯s citizens, slavery was a foreign concept, and to encounter it now left them bewildered. The soldiers on site had no idea how to handle the unexpected situation, so they waited for someone with authority to show up. In the meantime, they could only give food and water out of sympathy.

    A few minutes later, High Commander Markus arrived from another entrance, his appearance relieving everyone. After listening to an officer explain the situation, Markus approached the haggard group of foreigners and clapped his hands to gather their attention. ¡°Everyone, we mean you no harm. We¡¯re simply a mercenary group who happened to chance upon your captors. Before we let you go, are any slavers hiding amongst your ranks?¡±

    At Markus¡¯s question, a few pairs of eyes subconsciously swept over a middle-aged woman sitting in the back. Alarmed, the woman pulled out a dagger and wanted to take the dwarf next to her hostage, yet before she could move, a mage teleported behind her and pinned her to the ground. With a few cracks, they broke her limbs, immobilizing her.

    Markus nodded. ¡°Very good. Are there any more?¡±

    The captives looked around uncertainly but didn¡¯t point out anyone else. Markus smiled, ¡°Okay, that¡¯s all. You¡¯re free to go. Just ask if you need provisions or equipment to make the journey back.¡±

    Half an hour later, the previously enslaved foreigners had all left the underground base. Markus spoke with a few squad captains, then found Keith and brought him to the second floor of the compound, where they passed one empty cell after another.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Markus asked, his expression softening.

    Keith clenched his hands and spoke in a low voice. ¡°I killed people, so no, I¡¯m not.¡±

    Markus fell silent as Keith continued, ¡°You said it¡¯d be a simple escort mission.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Markus sighed, feeling regretful by the turn of events. While there were ways to prepare Keith for the inevitable act of killing someone, who wanted to put their child through such training? Even if Markus wanted to, Mariane wouldn¡¯t allow it.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Coming to a stop, Markus turned to Keith and looked his son in the eye. ¡°We¡¯ve interrogated some of the slavers up ahead. The sight isn¡¯t pretty, but I want you to see it. Are you willing?¡±

    Keith was alarmed when he saw his dad wasn¡¯t joking. Confused, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s the point?¡±

    Markus clasped his hands behind his back and smiled sadly. ¡°I want you to see that sometimes¡­ killing is necessary. Compared to the Innate Dimension, the Grandsky Realm¡¯s filled with violence and cruelty. However, if we work hard enough and have the will, we can turn the Grandsky Realm into a sanctuary of peace.¡±

    Keith felt helpless when he thought of how many people they¡¯d need to kill to achieve that dream.

    ¡°So?¡± Markus pressed.

    ¡°Okay, fine,¡± Keith reluctantly answered, unsure why he agreed.

    A few moments later, the Father and son arrived before a cell guarded by two of the Innate Nation¡¯s soldiers, their expressions grim. Behind them were three foreigners chained to the wall ¨C one elven male and two female humans. They had so many bruises and cuts covering their bodies that Keith wondered how they were alive. Not only were their limbs broken, they were missing their fingernails, toenails, and some teeth. Keith was visibly disturbed upon seeing their conditions.

    ¡°Please, kill me,¡± one of the women wheezed, her bruised eyes barely making out Markus and Keith¡¯s figures.

    While Keith¡¯s face turned pale white, the soldiers guarding the cell turned to Markus with hardened expressions. ¡°Sir!¡±

    ¡°At ease,¡± Markus waved his hand. ¡°Give me the details.¡±

    One of the soldiers gnashed their teeth. ¡°They¡¯re slavers, alright. Over the past fifteen years, they captured anyone they found in the nearby zones and sold them to a group of demons every other month in exchange for skills exclusive to the Sin Dimension.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Markus sighed wearily.

    ¡°There¡¯s more, sir,¡± The soldier continued. ¡°The Elemental Dimension¡¯s government is the one backing them.¡±

    Markus raised an eyebrow. ¡°For the skill gems?¡±

    ¡°Yes, since the Sin Dimension doesn¡¯t trade with the Elemental Dimension, this was the method the Elemental Dimension came up with to get the Sin Dimension¡¯s skill gems,¡± the soldier explained.

    Keith looked at the soldier in disbelief, struggling to accept that the Elemental Dimension¡¯s government would go so far as to capture and sell their own people to get their hands on something like skill gems. What was more despicable than that?

    Markus narrowed his eyes. ¡°Does this base have any of the Sin Dimensions¡¯ skill gems in storage?¡±

    At Markus¡¯ question, the interrogator inside the cell walked out and answered, ¡°No, they ship out the skill gems they acquire the same day they make the exchange.¡±

    Before Markus could say something, the interrogator flipped their hand and revealed three blood-red skill gems. ¡°However, the scum back there happened to have these in their inventories. Must¡¯ve embezzled them.¡±

    Keith¡¯s eyes focused on the sparkling skill gems, and what he read left him disgusted.

    [Mythic] Blood Siphon

    Description: There is a small chance to steal stats from the lifeforms you kill. Effect lasts 1 minute. Each level increases the chance to steal and reduces mana cost.

    Remark 1: Target must be a lower level than you.

    Remark 2: There is an upper limit to the total stats you can steal.

    Remark 3: The more stats you steal, the fewer reservations you have to kill.

    [Mythic] Harvest

    Description: Upon killing a lifeform you have a positive emotional attachment to, steal one of their skills. Each level reduces cooldown time.

    Remark 1: Each successful activation of this skill lowers your ability to feel positive emotions.

    [Legendary] Life Steal

    Description: Upon killing a lifeform, increase your health by a small amount. Effect lasts 1 mintue. Each level decreases cooldown time and mana cost.

    Remark 1: There is an upper limit to the health you can acquire.

    Remark 2: Lowers your ability to feel pain upon successful activation.

    ¡°No wonder,¡± Markus muttered after reading the skill gems. Turning to his son, Markus questioned, ¡°What type of environment do you think these skill gems will produce?¡±

    ¡°Infighting, deceit, chaos,¡± Keith responded, finally understanding Yara¡¯s dislike for the Sin Dimension.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Markus nodded and took the skill gems from the interrogator.

    As Markus weighed them in his hand, Keith asked softly, ¡°What will you do with them?¡±

    Markus was contemplative, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll publish their details. Our people need to know what type of enemy we¡¯re facing. Unfortunately, skill gems are indestructible, so I can only lock them away.¡±

    A short while later, Markus and Keith returned to the surface when Keith said, ¡°I¡¯m going home. I¡¯m tired.¡±

    Markus clasped Keith¡¯s shoulder. ¡°No problem, you deserve some rest.¡±

    Under Markus¡¯ gaze, Keith rode a griffon into the horizon. Sighing, Markus knew that he was in for a rough time once Mariane caught wind of what had happened. Sleeping on the couch was the least of his worries.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5

    After parting with his dad, Keith returned to the property he bought a few months ago. Wanting to empty his mind, he took out an inner tube and jumped into the lake next to his house. For several hours, he lay motionless, his arms and legs dangling as he watched the few clouds that passed his gaze. For a time, Keith simply found comfort in the rhythmic bobbing of the water.

    He didn¡¯t think, didn¡¯t feel.

    He simply was.

    Eventually, Keith entered a peculiar state of mind. He observed his thoughts as they came and went, letting them flow freely. Whether it was the uncomfortableness of killing another or the regret of failing to save that woman dying, his emotions faded, leaving only tranquility.

    At that moment, the mana in Keith¡¯s surroundings grew exceptionally clear, their existence reflected in his mind. Similarly, he could practically feel each particle of mana inside him, like it was an extension of his body.

    Raising a hand, Keith summoned one ball of mana after another. They flew in circles, jumped around, merged, and split. Keith was both delighted and confused. Why were the exercises he created to raise his Mana Manipulation skill now so easy to practice?

    Thinking of something, Keith turned his attention inward and focused on the numerous colored dots hovering in his chest. For these oddities, Keith had made two discoveries.

    First, the quantity of dots was equal to the number of skills he possessed, and second, whenever he cast a skill, his mana would funnel toward a particular dot. To Keith, it was clear that the System used the dots to transform mana into something else. In other words, they were the tool that made skills function.

    Alas, that knowledge wasn¡¯t too helpful. He had tried numerous times to mentally zoom in on the mysterious dots to learn their secrets, only to come up short. They were simply too small.

    Keith knew the key lay with his mind. He theorized that a person¡¯s mental ability was either a hidden stat or one not yet unlocked, though he leaned toward the former. After all, Keith had personally felt his mental power increase when he practiced the mana manipulation exercises he came up with. Still, it grew much slower than strength or agility, where plenty of methods existed to gain points.

    The last time Keith probed the dots in his body, he felt he only needed a little more mental power to discover their secrets, yet he didn¡¯t expect that final step to stump him for weeks. No matter how hard he practiced, the skill level for Mana Manipulation remained stuck at 499, and his mental power stopped growing.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    However, Keith¡¯s current state gave him a sudden epiphany. What he lacked was connection, not mental power. Keith¡¯s eyes glowed like torches from this new understanding.

    While overwhelmed with excitement, Keith didn¡¯t put the cart before the horse. Instead of attempting to view one of the dots in his chest, he wanted to familiarize himself with his unique state and learn what was happening.

    And so, over the following minutes, Keith continuously reached out with his mind, grasping and sensing, trying to find answers. To boost his comprehension, he enhanced and divided his mind, and with fourteen minds, he analyzed his situation from multiple angles.

    Like this, it didn¡¯t take long for Keith to discover that emotions actually impeded his ability to use mental power, and it wasn¡¯t just negative emotions. Even anticipation or joy made his control slip.

    Congratulations! Your Mana Manipulation skill leveled up to 500!

    The sudden status message left Keith with mixed feelings. Though he couldn¡¯t understand why emotions would have such a significant effect on mental power, he was glad to pass this hurdle.

    Universal skills like Mana Manipulation relied primarily on knowledge and application, and it wasn¡¯t like there was anyone he could ask for pointers. As far as he knew, he had the highest Mana Manipulation skill level among those from the Innate Dimension. Keith could¡¯ve been stuck here for months, or even years, if not for his sudden epiphany.

    With Keith¡¯s confusion cleared up, he calmed his emotions and focused on the brown dot in his chest that signified the Entangling Roots skill. Taking a deep breath, Keith mentally zoomed in as the dot rapidly expanded into a stunning three-dimensional array.

    BOOM!

    It was like a bomb exploded in Keith¡¯s mind.

    Never did Keith expect that the dots in his body, the things that powered skills, were arrays. Hadn¡¯t he spent the last six months (not counting time acceleration) studying arrays and how they worked? The coincidence was so absurd Keith felt like fate was at play.

    When Keith looked back at the Entangling Roots skill array, he quickly grew mesmerized by its marvelous design. The spiral pattern that Frisk taught Keith was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the array formed a three-dimensional hexagon with a complicated inner structure reminiscent of a grid. The more Keith observed, the more amazed he grew. Just from his initial inspection, he could tell that the skill array¡¯s design was far superior to the spiral pattern.

    When Keith fully looked over the skill array, he happily discovered that he recognized over 70% of the runes in the array and could even deduce a few unknown ones. From how the System organized the runes, he immediately concluded that this array was far beyond the current standards of the Innate Nation¡¯s array industry. Just the fact that the System formed this skill array was sure to cause any array artisan to go mad, much less that it used such a profound design.

    Keith promptly made a decision. If he, a novice array artisan, could see so much, who knew what Frisk, one of the most intelligent people in the Grandsky Realm, would see? Pushing off the inner tube, Keith activated Flight and flew toward his porch door. He rushed inside, dressed, and sent Frisk a message. HUGE DISCOVERY! ON MY WAY OVER!

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6

    Frisk took a short break to enjoy a cup of coffee.

    Leaning back in his chair, he took in his messy surroundings, overwhelmed by his workload. Including the unfinished gun in front of him, there were twenty-three other projects that Frisk needed to finish by the end of the day.

    ¡®Project¡¯ was putting it nicely.

    The reality was they were weapons of war, created, designed, and developed by Frisk. Thinking back to Yara¡¯s long list of requests, Frisk sighed and lamented over his genius. Being the most accomplished meant all the work went to him. The worst of it all was the blasted time acceleration array he created, as it only served as a justification for Yara to make him work longer. Why, oh why, did he have to mention it was ten times faster?

    By now, Frisk¡¯s array crafting skill had reached level 975, making him one of the most knowledgeable array artisans in the Grandsky Realm. As a result, nobody from the Innate Nation came close to his skill level, so the important task of overhauling the military¡¯s weapons came to him.

    While sipping his coffee, Frisk looked down at the V9 Mana Bolt Gattling Gun on his workbench. Before the Grandsky Realm opened, it was, without a doubt, a masterpiece. Now, though, Frisk found countless flaws. It was like looking back at the artwork you created when you first started learning how to draw. There was no comparison.

    Sighing, Frisk downed his drink and got back to work. He dismantled the V9 Mana Bolt Gattling Gun, then redrew the arrays inscribed on its components before putting it back together. Hoisting it up, Frisk inspected his work and nodded in satisfaction. Whether it was mana efficiency, power output, heat reduction, or compression, the gun''s stats had evolved to a new level.

    With Frisk¡¯s current skills, remodeling a weapon wasn''t too difficult. The hard part was mass production. Even if Frisk spent day and night, he couldn¡¯t manufacture enough weapons to meet the military¡¯s demands. Thankfully, his peers weren¡¯t inept. So long as Frisk wrote clear instructions, they could copy his arrays regardless of whether they understood its intricacies.

    Frisk stretched and was just about to start working on another weapon when a message from Keith arrived on his magic tablet. Upon reading its contents, Frisk first thought a young man like Keith couldn¡¯t possibly discover anything worthy of his attention, but when he remembered Keith was the one who first unlocked Mana Manipulation, he replaced his prejudice with anticipation.

    He didn¡¯t need to wait too long, as Keith was true to his word when he capitalized, ¡®on my way over.¡¯ In less than ten minutes, Keith arrived in the time-accelerated Pocket Dimension, his excitement on full display.

    After stepping through the doorway, the state of the Pocket Dimension caught him off-guard. He¡¯d never seen it so disorganized. Stacks of boxes, raw materials, and military equipment covered the floor. Some piled so high he couldn¡¯t even see over them.

    ¡°Frisk? Where are you?¡± Keith shouted, inwardly thinking Frisk needed to hire some assistants. Looking around, Keith saw a hand wave out to him from behind a small mountain of boxes. He rushed over, avoiding any obstacle with a hop and a leap. Passing around a corner, he saw Frisk slouching in his chair with the appearance of someone who hadn¡¯t slept for days.

    ¡°Wow! You look terrible,¡± Keith remarked with a grin.

    Frisk rubbed his eyes. ¡°You try working for two weeks straight without rest and see what happens.¡±

    ¡°Two weeks?¡± Keith glanced at Frisk¡¯s workbench and gasped when he spotted the couple dozen empty cups. ¡°Dang, you didn¡¯t even push yourself this hard when creating the Mana Body. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re working on something amazing?¡±

    ¡°No, nothing on the level of a Mana Body,¡± Frisk waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯m exhausted just thinking about it. Tell me what you discovered instead.¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Keith¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Hm, how should I explain?¡±

    Considering for a moment, Keith raised a hand, closed his eyes, and began concentrating. Under Frisk¡¯s watchful gaze, motes of mana rose from Keith¡¯s palm to form the initial structure of the Entangling Roots skill array. As it slowly came into shape, Frisk¡¯s expression went from thoughtful to increasingly stern. By the end, the array had fully occupied his attention.

    When Keith opened his eyes, he saw Frisk¡¯s face a few inches from the floating skill array, mesmerized. Occasionally, he¡¯d change position to get a better angle, completely absorbed in dissecting the skill array¡¯s secrets. It wasn¡¯t until a full ten minutes passed that Frisk collapsed into his chair and let out a long sigh.

    Shaking his head, he looked Keith in the eye and exclaimed, ¡°Out of everything I guessed, I didn¡¯t expect you to confirm the existence of a skill array. That array came from one of the dots in your chest, right?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡± Keith wasn¡¯t surprised by Firsk¡¯s sharp deduction. If Frisk couldn¡¯t do that, he wouldn¡¯t be Frisk.

    Sighing, Frisk rested his elbows on his chair¡¯s armrests and clasped his hands. ¡°This changes a lot, you know.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me,¡± Keith chuckled. ¡°The spiral design you taught me is mediocre compared to this 3D design.¡±

    ¡°M-mediocre, uh, I suppose,¡± Frisk reluctantly agreed, surprised that he¡¯d become emotionally attached to a technique. Taking a breath, Frisk forcibly stifled his emotions and asked, ¡°Can you tell in which ways it¡¯s better?¡±

    Keith raised the skill array to his eyes. ¡°If one thing stands out, it''s how the center starts simple and then grows increasingly complex as it expands outward.¡±

    Frisk nodded in approval. ¡°It reminds me of axioms in philosophy. Start with a fundamental concept and then build off it.¡±

    ¡°Or a tree growing from a seed,¡± Keith added.

    ¡°It touches upon many principles,¡± Frisk rubbed his chin with a thoughtful look. ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s why it works so well.¡±

    Keith copied Frisk¡¯s gesture and expression, saying, ¡°I can¡¯t recognize a few runes. What does this one mean?¡±

    Frisk took a moment to think before answering with some uncertainty. ¡°This skill array is for Entangling Roots. When casting the skill, you have an image in your mind of where you want the roots to sprout from. That rune turns your intent into a mathematical equation ¨C location, distance, angle, etc.¡±

    Keith quickly discerned that Frisk was in a good mood and was more than willing to answer his questions with in-depth explanations, so he didn¡¯t hesitate to follow up with more. As such, the two soon found themselves engaged in a long discussion, with one teaching and one learning. Frisk¡¯s systematic knowledge cleared up many of Keith¡¯s doubts, and it was only after several hours that Frisk looked at the time and decided to end the learning session.

    Frisk looked at Keith while in deep thought. A moment later, he started, ¡°There¡¯s a lot of runes in the Entangling Roots skill array that I¡¯ve never seen before, and it¡¯ll take me time to deduce their meaning.¡±

    When Frisk paused, Keith asked, ¡°What do you need me to do?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Frisk furrowed his brow. ¡°How about I take you as my student?¡±

    Joy overcame Keith. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Calm down. Let me explain,¡± Frisk grimaced. ¡°Although it''s embarrassing to admit, I appear to have ridiculously low talent in manipulating mana. To this day, I have yet to sense those motes you spoke of.¡±

    Keith was visibly bewildered. ¡°Even with external help like the tea and array I used?¡±

    Frisk¡¯s expression soured. ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Keith practically felt Frisk¡¯s disappointment. ¡°Sorry to hear that.¡±

    Frisk shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m already talented enough. Any more, and it wouldn¡¯t be fair to anyone else.¡±

    Keith didn¡¯t know what to say to that, so he kept his mouth shut as Frisk continued, ¡°No matter what I do, everything involves mana. It¡¯s inescapable. And since it¡¯ll be some time before I acquire the Mana Manipulation skill, I need someone to assist me in my experiments. You seem like a good candidate, and you¡¯re lucky to boot. Essentially, I want you to be my Mana Manipulation skill. You¡¯ll put my theories to the test.¡±

    Keith voiced his confusion, ¡°That sounds like a job.¡±

    Frisk smiled. ¡°In exchange, I¡¯ll impart my knowledge to you whenever I¡¯m in a good mood.¡±

    Keith¡¯s laughed bitterly at Frisk¡¯s flippant attitude, yet when he really thought about it, this was a chance many would kill for. There was no reason to decline.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Keith was delighted. ¡°Do you have an employment contract?¡±

    Frisk waved his hand dismissively. ¡°That¡¯s too troublesome. First, why don¡¯t you make me some coffee and clean up the place?¡±

    In the face of Frisk¡¯s abrupt bait and switch, Keith forced a smile and pressed, ¡°I really think we should get a contract.¡±

    Frisk laughed at Keith¡¯s expression. ¡°I¡¯m kidding. You think I care about the state of this place?¡±

    ¡°And the contract?¡± Keith repeated.

    Frisk¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°If you get me a coffee, I¡¯ll draft a contract.¡±

    ¡°Deal!¡± Keith answered without hesitation. From working with Frisk on the Mana Body project, he knew Frisk was unreliable when it came to interpersonal relationships. Best to have the government enforce Frisk¡¯s promises to teach Keith. Otherwise, who knew when the man would follow through?

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7

    Keith knew nothing about coffee, so he simply went to the nearest franchise and got what was popular before returning to Frisk with a bag. Baffled, Frisk looked inside and pulled out a tall transparent plastic cup. ¡°What the slimeball is this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a Caramel Ribbon Crunch Cr¨¨me Frappuccino,¡± Keith answered matter-of-factly.

    Frisk took a sip and recoiled in disgust. ¡°This is dessert, not coffee!¡±

    ¡°It has coffee in it,¡± Keith was helpless. ¡°Anyway, you didn¡¯t say what type to get.¡±

    Frisk placed the Caramel Ribbon Crunch Cr¨¨me Frappuccino back into the bag and set it aside. Rubbing his brow, Frisk glanced at Keith, feeling disappointed. ¡°Forget it. Seems I can only trust myself.¡±

    Keith shrugged as Frisk pointed at his desk, ¡°I wrote up the contract. Tell me if you disagree with anything.¡±

    Walking over, Keith read through the contract and was surprised by Frisk¡¯s guarantee to provide two two-hour teaching sessions a week. The contract was as fair as possible, so Keith wrote his signature.

    When Frisk saw Keith¡¯s visible satisfaction, he scoffed, ¡°Are you happy now?¡±

    ¡°Yes, very,¡± Keith smiled, his opinion of Frisk improving by a few levels as he quickly stuffed the contract into his inventory before anything could happen.

    Frisk¡¯s lips twitched, and shaking his head, he said, ¡°Now that that¡¯s settled, I want you to show me each skill array you possess so I can deduce the meaning of all the runes I¡¯m unfamiliar with.¡±

    Keith paused. ¡°Uh, I have over three hundred skills, you know.¡±

    ¡°All the better,¡± Frisk sat down and stared intensely at Keith, waiting for him to begin.

    Knowing this would take a long time to accomplish, Keith asked, ¡°Can I get a chair?¡±

    ¡°If you can find one,¡± Frisk thought about it. ¡°If not, you can use a box.¡±

    Keith searched for a good minute before deciding to spend gold to withdraw a chair from his Collection Grimoire. And so, sitting across from Frisk, Keith spent the next twelve hours circulating his mana to form one skill array after another.

    It took Keith around five minutes to recreate a single skill array and ten minutes for Frisk to commit it to memory. In total, it took twelve hours to go through forty-eight skills. Keith was utterly exhausted after channeling mana for so long, so they could only continue tomorrow.

    To be time efficient, Keith stayed inside the Pocket Dimension. He cleaned up a corner of the dimension, then used the boxes as walls and furniture in his Collection Grimoire to have a private area to sleep in. While Keith rested, Frisk returned to his previous task ¨C upgrading weapons.

    Six hours later, Keith woke up, found something to eat, then continued showing Frisk his skill arrays. Like this, a week went by. When Keith revealed the last skill array, he nearly whooped with joy. The whole process had been utterly dull, and he couldn¡¯t wait to do something that involved moving around. Thankfully, Frisk didn¡¯t assign him another task, so Keith left the Pocket Dimension without reservation.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Right when Keith breathed in fresh air from outside, he noticed something off. Looking up, he saw a transparent barrier covering the entire sky.

    A name popped into his mind ¨C the Skynet!

    Overcome with curiosity, Keith activated Flight and soared into the air. With a better vantage point, Keith saw multiple pillars of mana connecting the sky and earth, a large distance separating each one. Flying even higher, Keith spotted at least a hundred pillars powering the barrier in Serenity Canyon alone. Including the three other zones, there had to be at least four hundred pillars.

    ¡°Slimeballs,¡± Keith muttered, awed by the sheer scope of the array. He couldn¡¯t help but admire the sight. It required hundreds of thousands of people and countless resources to create. How grand of an undertaking was that?

    It wasn¡¯t until some time later that Keith recovered his awareness. Stretching mid-air, he wondered about what to do. Staying locked up in the Pocket Dimension for so long had left him brimming with energy and nowhere to vent it. Considering a little, he decided to hunt monsters ¨C alone.

    Although he didn¡¯t like to think about it, when he fought against the Elemental Dimension¡¯s adventurers, he found the whole encounter fairly easy. Ever since acquiring a transcendent grade Mana Body, he lacked an understanding of his combat potential. That was a problem. Not knowing your own power was taboo for an adventurer and could easily lead to a fatal mistake during a moment of crisis.

    However, there was one thing Keith needed to do before heading out in search of monsters. For the past six months, he hadn¡¯t stopped growing and selling herbs, and with the influx of new items from the Grandsky Realm resulting in a volatile market, Keith saved over 99% of his profits, waiting for it to stabilize. He didn¡¯t want to buy items at a premium price if he could wait a few months to get the most value out of his gold. As such, Keith had in his possession an enormous 40 billion gold to his name.

    Nowadays, the economy had mostly stabilized. All the items Keith had an eye on were now several times cheaper than six months ago. On the flip side, thousands of farmers now provided a steady supply of herbs to the market, so the profit Keith acquired from selling herbs was at an all-time low. It was still worthwhile for Keith to grow herbs, though it was nowhere near the crazy money it racked in at the start.

    After Operation Skynet, Keith felt the desire for strength now more than ever. He wanted to be strong enough to take control of any situation ¨C no matter how dire it became. Keith didn¡¯t want circumstances to force him to do anything he didn¡¯t want to. Once was enough.

    In any case, every day for the past few weeks, Keith had kept tabs on the market, noting what items he wanted to purchase in a personal file should the time come when he decided to splurge.

    Now was that time.

    Pulling out his magic tablet, Keith went to his contacts and sent Adeiv a message, informing him to begin purchasing things en masse. Keith had long since coordinated with Adeiv to take advantage of the man¡¯s vast network, and lately, Adeiv was just waiting for Keith to give the go-ahead.

    Meanwhile, when Adeiv read Keith¡¯s message, the corner of his lips curled. Even as a business owner, he¡¯d never made anywhere near 40 billion gold. Adeiv couldn¡¯t wait to begin, so he promptly cut his training short and rushed to his office. He flipped open a document, ran his finger down the contacts list, and began making calls. For every person he called, he spoke with great confidence and authority.

    ¡°Petre? Yeah, it¡¯s me. I want daggers, swords, staves, rods, spears, and wands. 40,000 each, all mythic grade and level 500 or above.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Michael, it¡¯s Adeiv Strinde. I heard you recently acquired a large stock of equipment. Is that right? Good. I¡¯m interested in all of it. No, I¡¯m not joking.¡±

    ¡°Alexandra, it¡¯s been a while. How¡¯s the farm been? Ah, I¡¯ll purchase one million of each fruit and vegetable you have.¡±

    ¡°Wait, Alexandra, don¡¯t hang up again. No, I¡¯m not scamming you. I¡¯m serious. Yes, one million each. My client? Well, they¡¯d prefer to keep their information private.¡±

    Similar conversations happened over and over, and if Adeiv hadn¡¯t built some reputation for himself, they would¡¯ve thought he was a prank caller. By the end, Adeiv made orders with over forty suppliers across seven industries¡ªfood, equipment, raw materials, potions, etc.

    Forty billion gold, gone in the wind, just like that.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8

    While waiting for the items Adeiv purchased to be delivered, Keith spent his time in the time-accelerated pocket dimension, observing Frisk as he overhauled the military¡¯s weapons. When Frisk saw Keith''s studiousness, he reluctantly started explaining his thought process during the upgrades.

    Frisk¡¯s understanding of arrays was immeasurably deep, allowing him to explain things clearly and concisely. It wasn¡¯t like the teachers Keith had at Adventurer Academy, who went to great lengths describing topics in a convoluted manner.

    For example, Frisk broke down the array profession into three major sections ¨C engraving, rune knowledge, and rune syntax. Simply put, engraving refers to your ability to recreate runes accurately, rune knowledge refers to the number of runes you memorized, and rune syntax refers to your ability to link runes together to form meaning.

    Regarding difficulty, rune syntax came first, engraving second, and rune knowledge third. Rune knowledge simply required a good memory, while engraving needed high stats and mental fortitude. Someone could train both. Meanwhile, a person¡¯s talent in rune syntax determined how far they could go on the path of an array artisan. It wasn¡¯t a matter of hard work. After all, there were few methods to increase your ability to intuit, infer, and use logic.

    Over the next few days, Keith gradually developed a systematic understanding of arrays. The more he learned, the wider the door opened, revealing more of what arrays could accomplish.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ****

    In a zone called Moonglade Grove was a towering wall surrounding a sprawling city. Encompassing the city was a beautiful barrier composed of the four basic elements, each interweaving with one another in an ever-flowing stream. This majestic sight was one of the two great arrays renowned throughout the Grandsky Realm, called the Fourgleam barrier. It protected the capital city of the Elemental Dimension, having stood for centuries.

    Floating over the capital were four palaces, home to the four elemental rulers of the Elemental Dimension. At this moment, a guard entered a large hall in a palace resembling a molten fortress. Even though the guard¡¯s innate ability was fire, they still started sweating due to the hall¡¯s high temperature. Walking forward, they arrived before a man hovering cross-legged a few feet off the ground.

    The man appeared fierce and wild, his long red hair and beard flowing like lava. Red markings covered him from head to toe ¨C a side effect of his Mana Body. This man was one of the four rulers of the Elemental Dimension, someone thousands of years old and one of the few people with a level of 1,000.

    He was Torg Igneo.

    Bowing respectfully, the guard began, ¡°My king, a report came in this morning about our operations in Typhoon Beach.¡±

    Torg remained expressionless, merely letting out a single grunt.

    The guard continued, ¡°A mercenary guild chanced upon the trade outpost and wiped out our agents.¡±

    Torg¡¯s eyes opened, revealing two ruby pupils exuding light. ¡°Who was it?¡±

    ¡°A group calling themselves Arclight,¡± the guard explained. ¡°We didn¡¯t find anyone registered with that name, so it¡¯s no doubt a fake alias.¡±

    Torg fell silent. Narrowing his eyes, he wondered if his fellow rulers had gotten involved. Sneering, he glanced down at the guard, who shivered under his gaze. ¡°Find this so-called ¡®Arclight¡¯ and annihilate them.¡±

    ¡°As you command,¡± the guard shouted.

    When Torg became the hall¡¯s sole occupant again, he released a low laugh. ¡°You three love playing these underhanded tricks. Fine, I¡¯m game!¡±

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9

    Inside the time-accelerated pocket dimension, a dozen people of various races sat around Keith, fumbling around with their mana. Though they appeared like any other, they were the best array artisans in the Innate Nation, their array crafting levels surpassing 750. In addition, they had all recently unlocked the Mana Manipulation skill.

    At Frisk¡¯s request, Keith was tutoring them on how to level it effectively, and seeing them make swift progress made him envious. Unfortunately, after reaching level 500, Keith''s mana control exercises had no further effect, so he lacked the confidence to resolve his predicament. He could only give it another try.

    Three hours later, Keith had gone through his exercises dozens of times when he realized something was amiss. While training, he had spent over ten million mana to keep Mind Division and Mind Enhancement active, yet to Keith¡¯s surprise, the Mana Sickness notification he expected to show up never arrived. Apparently, his Mana Body had significantly boosted his resistance to the erosion of mana. Interesting.

    At this point, Keith decided to increase the complexity of his exercises by adding to the number of shapes he formed. When that did nothing, he started morphing them into different objects as they moved.

    Finally, a notification appeared.

    Congratulations! Your Mana Manipulation skill reached level 501 from 500!

    From this, Keith deduced that to level Mana Manipulation further, complexity was the key. Now that he knew the path forward, Keith became fully engrossed in his training.

    Congratulations! Your Mana Manipulation skill reached level 502 from 501!

    Congratulations! Your Mana Manipulation skill reached level 503 from 502!

    Congratulations! Your Mana Manipulation skill reached level 504 from 503!

    Every notification was like consuming a drug, and the surge of motivation that came with every level up numbed Keith to the passage of time. The days came and went; before he knew it, he had reached level 557.

    By now, the senior array artisans no longer needed his guidance. Standing to his feet, Keith stretched his stiff shoulders and explained, ¡°Professors, I¡¯ve shared everything I know. The rest is up to you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± a female dwarf looked away from her mana exercise and spoke gratefully.

    Keith shook his head, ¡°I did what I should.¡±

    ¡°If I learn anything special, I¡¯ll be sure to inform you,¡± said Gregory, a bespectacled male orc who worked for the government.

    ¡°Same here,¡± said the rest.

    ¡°We might as well end our group training sessions,¡± Gregory adjusted his glasses. ¡°Before we separate, I want to announce something. Frisk has hogged this pocket dimension long enough, and I¡¯ve already received the necessary authority. Starting now, each of you can use this place as you please.¡±

    The expressions of the array artisans transformed into that of delight. They had caught wind of the time-accelerated pocket dimension long ago and were beyond envious that Frisk had it all to himself.Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°NOO!¡± A desperate howl came from afar as Frisk ran over, his unkempt appearance disgusting all who saw it. Followed by a musty air, he confronted Gregory with a pointed finger. ¡°You can¡¯t do this to me! This is my workspace! Mine!¡±

    Gregory stepped back to avoid the smell and spoke evenly, ¡°Mr. Frisk, behave yourself.¡±

    Frisk let out an exaggerated harrumph. ¡°I see how it is. You people work me to the bone, and after squeezing out all the value I have, you toss me to the side.¡±

    ¡°You exaggerate, Mr. Frisk,¡± Gregory replied, considering Frisk¡¯s antics as nothing more than that of a misbehaving child. ¡°I don¡¯t need to explain to you, of all people, that the time-accelerated pocket dimension holds immense value for scientists. It was already generous enough of Lady Yara to allow you exclusive use for so many months.¡±

    Frisk didn¡¯t give up. ¡°My work efficiency will plummet with all the racket they¡¯ll create. Can you take responsibility for that?¡±

    ¡°Put up a noise-canceling array,¡± Gregory shrugged.

    While Gregory and Frisk argued back and forth, the respected array masters behaved as spectators, their expressions full of schadenfreude. They both admired and envied Frisk ¨C admiration for his talent and envy for his treatment. Frisk was spoiled rotten by the Innate Nation¡¯s upper echelons, so seeing Gregory knock him down a notch gave them great pleasure.

    After a few minutes of tit-for-tat, Frisk abruptly grew calm. Giving Gregory a smirk, he asked, ¡°Are you certain you want to impede my current project?¡±

    Pausing, Gregory looked past Frisk to a half-finished artillery cannon thirty feet long in the distance. Arrays undecipherable to him covered the metallic weapon from head to toe. Having never seen such a massive contraption, Gregory was uncertain. Turning back to Frisk, he conceded, ¡°If that thing¡¯s importance outweighs over a hundred top array artisans working in this time-accelerated pocket dimension, then fine, I¡¯ll speak with Lady Yara to allocate another Mana Reactor for you to use as you wish.¡±

    ¡°Heh,¡± Frisk raised his chin. ¡°That thing over there? Would you believe me if I said it¡¯s capable of posing a lethal threat to level 1,000s?¡±

    Everyone froze except Gregory, who laughed in anger. ¡°Mr. Frisk, while I can normally tolerate your antics, joking about something like that isn¡¯t funny in the slightest.¡±

    To the upper echelons of the Innate Nation, the level 1,000 opponents standing against them were their greatest worry. Yara and countless others had spent decades searching for methods to overcome this obstacle and found no easy answers, so for Frisk to come out of nowhere with a solution left Gregory uncharacteristically flustered.

    Frisk found Gregory¡¯s disbelief understandable. Slouching slightly, he explained, ¡°I stand by what I said.¡±

    The pocket dimension turned so silent you could hear a pin drop. Taking a deep breath, Gregory hid his shaking hands inside his sleeves, asking, ¡°How quickly can you produce them? How many? 5? 10?¡±

    ¡°10?¡± Frisk¡¯s eyes almost popped out of their sockets. ¡°It takes at least three Mana Reactors to power one of them, more if you want to reduce the cooldown time between shots.¡±

    ¡°Three each?¡± Gregory gasped.

    Frisk shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s already pretty good, in my opinion. Why don¡¯t you see if the other dimensions can produce something like this?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Gregory calmed down. Smoothing his clothes, he said, ¡°I need to report to Lady Yara as soon as possible.¡±

    Before anyone could react, Gregory sprinted for the exit, though right before he vanished, Frisk shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t forget your promise!¡±

    ****

    The Innate Nation¡¯s Skynet covered three zones: Serenity Canyon, Mandara Desert, and Typhoon Beach. From the outside, the Skynet was nearly invisible, and only if someone were close would they notice a shimmer in the air. On the inside, a flurry of activity was underway.

    When the Skynet first activated, the Innate Nation¡¯s leadership knew they had at most a week or two before foreign forces discovered its existence. Before that happened, they had to build a defensive line spanning three zones strong enough to defend against their opponents. And so, for the past four days, millions of people from the military and civilian sectors worked day and night, constructing fortifications.

    For this grand undertaking, the Innate Nation invested a significant portion of the resources it had accumulated over the past year.

    On the first day, they set up a network of teleportation arrays throughout the three zones, allowing for easy transportation of personnel and materials.

    On the second day, they carved a path hundreds of miles long, removing any trees, mountains, or bodies of water in the way.

    On the third day, they laid the foundations for a grand wall and numerous fortresses.

    On the fourth day, the Innate Nation¡¯s leadership turned to their array masters and said, ¡®No matter how expensive, we only want the best.¡¯ Delighted, array artisans, both old and young, came out in full force, using the crystallization of their knowledge to erect mighty arrays. Whether it was the floor, ceiling, walls, tunnels, or furniture, they slapped the best array they could make on it.

    And yet, just as the Innate Nation was on the precipice of finishing the wall, an elite delegation from the Elemental Dimension rapidly approached, brimming with the intent to kill.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10

    Upon leaving the time-accelerated pocket dimension, Keith returned to his home, which still needed furnishing. He sent Adeiv a message, then took a relaxing shower until he sensed someone at the front door, and judging by the mana flow within their body, Keith knew who it was. Quickly getting dressed, Keith rushed over and opened the door.

    Adeiv gave Keith a curt nod, asking, ¡°May I come in?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Keith stepped to the side, his eyes honing in on the briefcase in Adeiv¡¯s hand.

    Entering the house, Adeiv walked up to the nearby dining table and gently placed the briefcase down. Removing the latches, he opened the container, revealing two rows of gray cubes embedded in twelve slots. Keith recognized them as Pocket Dimensions.

    Arriving at Adeiv¡¯s side, Keith¡¯s heartbeat quickened. ¡°Is this what I think it is?¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Adeiv rubbed a hand alongside the edge of the case. ¡°Twelve mythic grade Pocket Dimensions. Everything you purchased is inside.¡±

    Keith was astonished. ¡°I tried to buy mythic grade Pocket Dimensions before, but nobody sold them.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s understandable. They¡¯re a strategic resource. Logistics has always been a nightmare, so all the mythic grade Pocket Dimensions ended up in the hands of the military and top businesses,¡± Adeiv explained.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Keith listened half-heartedly, his hand reaching for one of the cubes. He struggled to imagine how many items were inside. The time-accelerated pocket dimension Frisk used was merely epic grade, yet it still took a few minutes to walk from one end to another. How much larger would the mythic grade version be?

    ¡°These Pocket Dimensions were a gift to you from the suppliers,¡± Adeiv sighed emotionally. ¡°Keep in mind that mythic grade Pocket Dimensions only drop from level 400+ Rift Bosses, and the drop chance is abysmal. Even after hundreds of years, there¡¯s less than 10,000 in circulation.¡±

    ¡°How generous,¡± Keith commented, his mind turning as he inspected the sleek cube in his hand. Although he¡¯d collected a few Pocket Dimensions in the past, new functions never appeared. Maybe the mythic grade version would be enough. Before that, though, he¡¯d need to remove what was inside.

    Stepping to an open area, Keith activated the Pocket Dimension, causing a blue portal in the shape of a door to appear before him. Sporting a goofy grin, Keith stepped inside and stood face to face with a wall.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Keith was confused until he saw a packaging label and realized he was looking at boxes of goods stacked from the floor to the ceiling. To his left and right was a narrow path. Choosing the left, he shuffled sideways until he came across an intersection where he could see the other side of the Pocket Dimension in the distance.

    Keith gasped.

    There had to be over ten thousand containers, each with space-shrinking technology. Keith wanted to pop one open to see what was inside, yet he found the task impossible with how little space he had to maneuver.

    Feeling helpless, Keith summoned his Collection Grimoire, his heart banging against his chest. Taking a deep breath, he called out, ¡°Collect!¡±

    Determining authority¡­

    Authority confirmed. The user holds ownership rights of the items intended to be stored.

    After the familiar notification appeared, the thousands of containers simultaneously shrunk to a third of their size and hovered in the air. Their lids flipped open as item after item flew out and shot over.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Keith watched, mesmerized, as thousands of items poured into the Collection Grimoire. Thousands became tens of thousands, and tens of thousands became millions.

    Through their connection, the feeling the Collection Grimoire sent Keith at this moment was like when he ate a delicious meal after being famished for weeks. While Keith had sensed simple impulses from his innate gift before, it was never this intense or complex.

    Curious, Keith wanted to investigate when he suddenly felt the world spin around him. Having expected this, Keith sat down just as an unprecedented wave of sensory information assaulted his brain.

    Oh slim-

    Before he could react, he fell unconscious.

    A few minutes later, Adeiv entered the Pocket Dimension, wondering what Keith was doing. With the dimension now empty, he easily spotted Keith in the distance, slumped over near a hovering grimoire.

    ¡°Keith?¡± Adeiv called out probingly. Seeing no response, Adeiv sprinted over and placed a finger on Keith¡¯s neck to feel his pulse. Relieved by what he found, Adeiv rested Keith¡¯s head against the ground and scrutinized him for any injuries. Finding the situation bizarre, he frowned and wondered what to do.

    Moments later, just when Adeiv wanted to carry Keith outside and call a doctor, Keith groaned, his eyelids fluttering. Adeiv relaxed and waited patiently as Keith slowly came to.

    ¡°Ugh,¡± Keith reached for his head only to smack himself in the face.

    While amusing to Adeiv, the collision jolted Keith awake, giving him enough clarity to remain still and adapt to his increased stats.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Adeiv inquired when Keith did nothing.

    Keith winced. ¡°Why are you shouting?!¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t,¡± Adeiv answered, his response causing Keith great discomfort.

    At this point, a light went off in Adeiv¡¯s mind, and his voice dropped to a whisper, ¡°Sensory overload?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Keith nodded with a helpless smile. ¡°The ones I had in the past weren¡¯t nearly this bad.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve had them before?¡± Adeiv was surprised to hear that. Generally, a person experiences sensory overload at most once or twice in their lifetime. Any more than that was uncommon.

    ¡°This is the fourth time,¡± Keith answered as he meticulously moved his limbs back and forth. Once he grew comfortable, he switched to a sitting position before eventually standing up. A few stretches later, he was back to normal.

    Adeiv glanced around the empty Pocket Dimension, then to the floating grimoire. ¡°Is that your innate gift? It ate up everything?¡±

    ¡°Collected,¡± Keith corrected. ¡°And yes, it''s called the Collection Grimoire, and it gives me various bonuses depending on what it stores.¡±

    Adeiv¡¯s face lit up, and suggested, ¡°You could make some decent money transporting things around.¡±

    Keith shook his head. ¡°Won¡¯t work. It costs gold to withdraw anything.¡±

    ¡°Figures,¡± Adeiv sighed, knowing that it was never easy.

    Keith waved his hand and unsummoned the Collection Grimoire. Even though he desperately wanted to look at his stats, he decided to wait until he collected everything first. Walking to the exit, Keith shuddered at the possibility of experiencing another wave of sensory overload.

    It¡¯s kinda like growth pains, Keith inwardly joked.

    After asking, Adeiv joined Keith as the Collection Grimoire devoured another Pocket Dimension worth of goods and was awed by the sight. However, midway through the collection process, Adeiv noticed Keith leaning to the side and quickly held him by the shoulder. Thankfully, the sensory overload wasn¡¯t nearly as bad this time, and Keith recovered in moments.

    Over the next ten collection processes, the sensory overload assaulting Keith grew weaker and weaker. By the end, he adapted in seconds. To be honest, Keith felt he was getting pretty good at adjusting to his improved senses.

    Upon closing the last Pocket Dimension, Adeiv looked at the Collection Grimoire enviously. ¡°Does it have a storage limit?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Keith shrugged.

    Adeiv sighed. ¡°Too bad it costs gold to withdraw items.¡±

    Keith chuckled, knowing what Adeiv was thinking about. The man was strangely interested in logistics and everything that went with it.

    Approaching the front door, Keith was about to send Adeiv off when he recalled that he had also purchased a few sets of ancient grade equipment, so he asked Adeiv where it was.

    ¡°It should be ready tomorrow,¡± Adeiv answered, explaining how there weren¡¯t enough blacksmiths who could forge ancient grade gear to meet the market¡¯s demand, resulting in delays.

    ¡°Ah.¡± Keith felt disappointed, as he had hoped to go hunting today. Oh well, he could wait.

    Once Adeiv left, Keith returned to his room and collapsed atop his bed, his head buried in his pillow. Keith was still for a moment before the anticipation to check his stats overwhelmed him so much that he started squirming, accompanied by muffled laughter. When the moment passed, he flipped over, and with a single thought, his status appeared.

    [Keith Walker]

    Level: 570

    Age: 24

    Titles: Mana Lifeform, Mythic Adventurer, +18 others

    Health: 260,500 -> 345,000

    Mana: 501,100 -> 951,000

    Strength: 6,059 -> 9,510

    Agility: 6,257 -> 9,712

    Intelligence: 11,083 -> 14,481

    Vitality: 6,965 -> 10,367

    Endurance: 7,024 -> 10,229

    Skills: Sensory Link, Mind Enhancement, +256 others

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11

    A few minutes later, the rush Keith experienced faded, replaced by uncertainty. What he collected earlier more than quintupled his total collection, and there were now so many items in the Collection Grimoire that it could fill a few of the military warehouses Markus showed him in the past.

    When factoring in diminishing returns, Keith calculated he would need to collect items valuing trillions of gold to have the same increase in stats he just had, and the only way to acquire that much money was to plunder an entire nation.

    Keith summoned his Collection Grimoire and rubbed its surface, sighing. He had reached a bottleneck.

    Developing your innate gift was the most common route people chose when they wanted to grow stronger. For many, it took decades or centuries to exhaust their potential, not merely three or four years like Keith.

    While disappointing, Keith had expected this day to come, as it had for so many others. Besides, there were other methods to acquire power.

    Skills.

    Stats.

    Equipment.

    Among the three, Keith¡¯s skill levels weren¡¯t too noteworthy outside of Mind Enhancement and Mind Division, with most of his skills ranging from 400 to 550. If Keith wanted to focus on this aspect of himself, there were two ways to go about it: repetition and understanding.

    Through repetition, Keith could push his skills to level 700+. Beyond that, he needed understanding. Unfortunately, repetition required time, and understanding came from education and experiencing life.

    Neither were quick routes to success.

    The only exception was Mana Manipulation, as it was a Universal skill. Even without repetition and understanding, an epiphany could boost it to level 1,000. Naturally, people encountered epiphanies by chance, so Keith didn¡¯t pin his hopes on that.

    Instead, raising your stats was always a reliable way to grow stronger.

    Although Keith had previously maxed out his body¡¯s resistance to gaining stats from food and medicinal baths, that was only when skills were limited to level 500. Nowadays, chefs and alchemists have long since pushed their levels beyond that, and with the profit Keith still made from collaborating with his Grandfather, he could easily afford their services.

    As for equipment, when Keith considered the customized ancient grade equipment set arriving tomorrow, he felt he had done his best, what with hiring one of the best blacksmiths around.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    Satisfied, he was about to send Adeiv a message and turn in for the night when he slowly came to a pause.

    Keith sighed, indecision striking him.

    Could he lie to himself?

    To come this far only to turn back at the last moment?

    After all, wasn¡¯t this the inevitable conclusion of his choice years ago?

    No, he couldn¡¯t.

    Doing so would be a disservice to himself, those around him, and all the sacrifices he witnessed from others.

    It was simple, really.

    The best method to gain stats, skill levels, and amazing equipment was to brave the unknown. That meant leaving the safety net provided by his country, stepping into the frontier, and hunting increasingly stronger monsters.

    Was that Keith?

    Was that something he could do, would do?

    Whenever he fought monsters, it was only after buying a data report on their territory, abilities, habits, and weaknesses. Even in the case of trouble, there were numerous adventurer teams nearby.

    The frontier didn¡¯t have that.

    He¡¯d have to face unknown monsters, unfamiliar geography, and the possibility of encountering people from other dimensions. And if he made a mistake, it could be fatal.

    Keith opened his status panel and frowned.

    Whether he took this final step or not hinged on his confidence, and he had no reference for his power level. Was he as strong as an Adventurer Academy graduate? Or did he near the level of his Father and Ska¡¯dur?

    Keith heard Ska¡¯dur had been running around the nearby zones hunting all manner of monsters by himself, so if Keith were at least 60% as strong as Ska¡¯dur, he¡¯d do it.

    Keith was willing to take risks, not throw his life away.

    Possessing 60% of Ska¡¯dur¡¯s power was Keith¡¯s bottom line.

    Having committed to a decision, Keith sent his Father a message explaining his intentions and then went to bed. When he woke up, the first thing Keith did was check his magic tablet.

    And there it was - a blinking notification from his Father.

    In the message were a few sentences from Markus: You have my full support. Should you need anything, don¡¯t hesitate to ask.

    Immediately drawing Keith¡¯s attention was the snapshot of Markus and Ska¡¯dur¡¯s stats.

    [Markus]

    Level: 708

    Health: 664,000

    Mana: 412,000

    Strength: 12,825

    Agility: 12,729

    Intelligence: 7,400

    Vitality: 11,248

    Endurance: 11,262

    [Ska¡¯dur]

    Level: 715

    Health: 588,000

    Mana: 583,000

    Strength: 10,112

    Agility: 10,130

    Intelligence: 10,180

    Vitality: 10,150

    Endurance: 10,159

    Keith had mixed emotions after looking through their stats. He was stunned and excited because he hadn¡¯t expected to be so close to their overall stat count and confused about how he could catch up so easily, considering they were both hundreds of years old.

    And then Keith remembered something ¨CMarkus and Ska¡¯dur hadn¡¯t formed a Mana Body yet. The realization left Keith feeling unexpectedly wistful. There was still such a big gap between them, even after three years of hard work.

    On the upside, since Keith had similar stats to Ska¡¯dur, who was killing ancient grade monsters left and right, Keith had the confidence to perform similarly. While there was no doubt Ska¡¯dur¡¯s equipment was leagues better than Keith¡¯s, Keith¡¯s transcendent grade Mana Body didn¡¯t just increase his stats; it gave him an all-around improvement. Especially the effect that boosted all of Keith¡¯s skills by one grade.

    It was decided, then.

    When the shipment of customized equipment arrived later today, Keith would set off for Typhoon Beach. No longer would he hold himself back.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12

    Keith fixed himself a simple breakfast, then turned his attention to the mythic grade Pocket Dimensions. He removed one from the briefcase and collected it. Feeling optimistic, he opened his Collection Grimoire¡¯s function shop and found a new addition.

    Inventory Expansion (1) ¨C 100 million CP

    Description: Increases your inventory size by 100 slots.

    Keith frowned, finding the function lacking. The price wasn¡¯t the issue. Rather, exchanging a mythic grade Pocket Dimension for a hundred inventory slots was a bad deal, as a Pocket Dimension at that grade had way more storage space. Even then, Keith¡¯s instincts told him it wasn¡¯t so simple, as thus far, every function had a use.

    Pondering, Keith recalled a feature of inventories: the items stored inside left no physical trace in the world. Contrarily, since you couldn¡¯t put spatial-type items like Pocket Dimensions in your inventory, you always had to carry them on your person or find a secure location to store them.

    In the Innate Nation, concern over robbery was non-existent, so Keith almost overlooked this difference. Only when he shifted his perspective to that of someone used to the Grandsky Realm, where robbery ran rampant, did he consider this advantage.

    And that depressed him.

    Just last night, Keith was excited about exploring the Grandsky Realm, having painted a picture of growth and discovery, conveniently forgetting that here, theft, murder, and conflict were all too common.

    Suddenly, the memories of the slave camp he encountered came to mind, splashing blotches of black ink over his beautiful image.

    Then it clicked.

    Keith had often listened to his Father¡¯s long-winded speeches about morality, justice, duty, and society, unable to understand why he and many others cared so much.

    Now, he did.

    It was a dream.

    To Keith, the Grandsky Realm was a world full of adventure, and for others to sully it, to warp it beyond recognition, filled him with revulsion. Markus wanted to make his dream a reality, which required cleansing the ink stains from his painting. Keith wasn¡¯t willing to do that. Or at least, he hadn¡¯t reached that point. Keith wanted to avoid confrontation, not seek it out.

    Lost in thought, Keith didn¡¯t sense Adeiv¡¯s presence until the latter knocked on the front door. Keith snapped to attention, his face lighting up as he went over and brought Adeiv inside.

    Upon entering, Adeiv waved his hand, revealing a rare grade Pocket Dimension clasped between two fingers. ¡°Here you go.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Keith grinned as he took the Pocket Dimension and willed it to open. When the portal appeared, Keith entered, hoping the blacksmith had faithfully adapted his vision from the few drawings he sent over. Since this would be Keith¡¯s first ancient grade armor set, he wanted it to stand out.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    Arriving inside the small Pocket Dimension, he looked ahead and found two mannequins covered in resplendent armor standing at attention.

    Each armor set had three layers ¨C plate, leather, and cloth. The innermost layer was cloth, while the leather filled the gaps between the outer layer of plate pieces. Of course, while the words sounded commonplace, the materials were anything but. Although Keith couldn¡¯t recognize them, the order stated that each material was ancient grade.

    To fulfill Keith¡¯s request, the blacksmith dyed and enchanted each layer differently.

    The set on the left had silver cloth, white leather, and a deep blue plate. Even better, the cloth had a faint glow while the plate rippled as if waves ran across its surface, reminiscent of Keith¡¯s natural hair.

    If the set on the left represented light, then the set on the right represented darkness. Every groove and curve was the same, except for the colors and visual enchantments. The cloth was a murky grey, the leather a deep red, and the plate black as night. The plate had the effect of absorbing any nearby light, turning it even darker.

    As the two armor sets reflected themselves in Keith¡¯s pupils, he gasped, ¡°Awesome!¡±

    Without hesitation, Keith teleported to their side and began fondling here and there, leaving nothing untouched. He was so delighted he kept muttering ¡®So cool,¡¯ unable to find other words to describe his joy.

    A moment later, Adeiv appeared at the portal and grimaced upon witnessing the bombastic armor sets, thinking how outlandish they were. Wasn¡¯t armor like that painting a target on your back?

    Walking over to Keith, Adeiv asked, ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering why you got two sets?¡±

    ¡°Simple,¡± Keith answered, sending Adeiv a notification panel with a flick of his finger.

    Battle Loadout

    Description: Automatically swap to different loadouts you¡¯ve unlocked depending on the type of attack received. Low mana cost. No cooldown.

    ¡°What the¡­¡± Adeiv was startled by what he read.

    ¡°I can only afford two loadouts at the moment, so I decided on a generic magic resistance set and a generic physical resistance set,¡± Keith sighed when he recalled how pricey the third loadout was to unlock ¨C a whopping trillion CP. His dream of getting a loadout for every damage type was far away.

    When Keith started putting on the magic resistance set, Adeiv fell silent.

    For the first time, Adeiv felt the massive differences there could be between innate gifts. Innate gifts usually specialized in one aspect, while Keith¡¯s seemed to be going in every direction it could.

    However, just as Adeiv started lamenting about the unfairness in the world, he thought himself hypocritical. His contracting innate gift was no slouch either, especially his latest unlock, the power to contract people¡¯s talent. Using that new function, Adeiv had leveled his skills by the hundreds and acquired a dozen legacy skills in the past few months.

    ¡°Well? How do I look?¡± Keith asked as he posed heroically in front of Adeiv with a smug expression plastered on his face.

    Adeiv looked Keith up and down before nodding. ¡°Not bad. It matches you.¡±

    Keith chuckled and looked down at himself. ¡°I¡¯ll call this set Spell Breaker and that one Fist Breaker.¡±

    Keeping quiet, Adeiv wondered whether he should find a writer to contract their creativity skills to Keith. On second thought, Adeiv felt he was being too judgemental. He rather envied Keith¡¯s optimism and carefree attitude. It was too hard for Adeiv to find happiness recently, no thanks to the pressure from the other dimensions.

    Keith opened his status panel and exclaimed, ¡°Wow, my health shot up by 500,000. I got about 5,000 bonus stats, too.¡±

    If an ancient grade equipment set gave Keith so many stats, he couldn¡¯t imagine what a transcendent grade set would give. It would probably make someone invincible.

    Adeiv looked at his watch and realized his next appointment was coming up. ¡°I gotta go. Contact me if you need anything.¡±

    ¡°Thanks again!¡± Keith called out as Adeiv walked through the portal.

    Now that he was alone, Keith slowly calmed down. He collected both armor sets, opened the Battle Loadout function, and configured its settings. After making the Spell Breaker set his default set, it appeared on his body in a flash. Inspecting himself once more, Keith felt confidence welling up inside.

    It was time to head to Typhoon Beach.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13

    A pungent odor assaulted Keith¡¯s senses when he neared Typhoon Beach''s massive body of saltwater. Keith looked over the side of his griffin and gazed into the depths of the water, yet all he saw beneath the dazzling surface was darkness.

    Fighting underwater was a challenge many would struggle with, especially Keith, who relied heavily on the Entangling Roots skill, as it needed a solid surface for the roots to erupt from. Even though Keith would be at a great disadvantage battling here, he intentionally came here first to test an idea.

    Now that he arrived, Keith unsummoned his griffin and used the Flight skill, though just as he neared the water¡¯s surface to get a better look, a shadow appeared directly beneath him. Without making the slightest sound, a Bruised Swordfish erupted from the water, its pointed nose exuding sharpness that would put a mythic grade weapon to shame.

    Keith exclaimed and twisted to the side, his face stinging from the wind.

    Before Keith could relax, the now airborne Bruised Swordfish smacked the air with its fin, sending it barreling toward Keith¡¯s gut. With the Flight skill giving Keith freedom of movement, he spun, dodging the Bruised Swordfish¡¯s follow-up attack and countering with a fierce kick to the fish¡¯s head.

    BANG!

    The Bruised Swordfish skid across the water, its health dropping by a quarter. As Keith steadied himself, the fish vanished underwater as quickly as it appeared.

    Keith released a breath.

    How fast!

    For being level 580, the Bruised Swordfish was unbelievably quick, so quick that if Keith had a thousand agility less, he wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up with its movements. Thankfully, although its speed was frightening, a simple kick had reduced its health by 25%, revealing that it was incredibly fragile.

    In the next moment, Keith¡¯s ears twitched, having picked up the subtle sound of water parting.

    Turning around, he multicast Cold Snap three times and froze all the water within twenty feet. Undeterred, the Bruised Swordfish pierced through the ice, and its speed diminished by half. Like before, it slapped the air to boost itself, but before it could get anywhere, a large hand formed by Entangling Roots squeezed it to mush.

    Keith¡¯s eyes sparkled. It works!

    If Entangling Roots had no solid surface to sprout from, why not make his own? Ice Wall, Earth Wall, Cold Snap. Used creatively, Keith could cast Entangling Roots wherever he wanted.

    When combining Keith¡¯s massive mana reserves with Mind Division and Mind Enhancement, Entangling Root¡¯s potential skyrocketed. Keith felt that it was no worse than a divine grade skill.

    And that wasn¡¯t all.

    Since Keith¡¯s Mana Body boosted all his skills by one grade, it was more like a celestial grade skill. Of course, as Keith had never seen a celestial grade skill, he couldn¡¯t be sure.

    In any case, now, there was nothing to fear.

    Having accomplished his goal, Keith decided to head to Mandara Desert. Hunting monsters in Typhoon Beach would take too much time ¨C the body of water here was too vast.

    Two hours later, Keith arrived at the border of Mandara Desert, and what greeted him was a scalding wind so hot that he continuously lost health points. Promptly drinking a mythic grade heat resistance potion, Keith looked around with tears in his eyes. Here, the sunlight reflected off the light tan sand, turning the desert into a massive mirror that left Keith half-blinded.

    Keith searched through his Collection Grimoire and withdrew sunglasses he had collected long ago. Putting them on, Keith could finally see. In the distance, he spotted a large ravine, ruins, and an oasis, all places of interest.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    A minute later, Keith hovered above the oasis, its waters flat and still. Surrounding the oasis were patches of palm trees and dense foliage. At first glance, Keith didn¡¯t see any monsters. Wherever they were, they were well hidden.

    Smiling, Keith snapped his fingers.

    Up above, five Small Meteors appeared in the sky, a fire trail burning in their wake. In moments, they collided with the ground, unleashing shockwaves that devastated a portion of the previously serene oasis.

    ROAR!

    The monsters Keith¡¯s Small Meteors had hit were now enraged and searching for their attacker. Brutish Alligators, Horned Beetles, and Dirk Scarabs rushed out of the impact zone. There were at least a few dozen, all ancient grade and with a level over 600. Together, they locked onto Keith, growling.

    Before they could do anything, Keith raised the palm of his hand and spoke softly, ¡°Earth Wall.¡±

    One, two, three.

    Fifteen Earth Walls erupted from the sand, enclosing the dozens of monsters within. Next, Keith¡¯s mana poured into his Entangling Roots skill array as he closed his hand into a fist.

    From all directions, thick roots the size of a bodybuilder¡¯s thigh sprung from the Earthen Walls, reaching toward the dozens of monsters with astonishing speed. The monsters defended themselves, their skills destroying large portions of roots, but they quickly became overwhelmed.

    With Mind Enhancement and Mind Division, Keith controlled the numerous roots as if they were his own limbs. They slithered forward like snakes before wrapping around their target and exerting pressure until all that remained was meat paste.

    In seconds, the battle was over.

    A notification appeared, informing Keith that he leveled up to 571. Swiping it away, Keith checked his status and noted that he had consumed around 200,000 mana, a significant amount considering he only had 1.5 million.

    Normally, people tried to limit how much mana they spent when adventuring, as mana regenerated too slowly. That wasn¡¯t a concern for Keith. With the dozens of Mana Gathering Arrays in his Collection Grimoire, he could afford to be so wasteful. Keith¡¯s only limit was how much mana erosion his body could withstand. Before acquiring a transcendent grade Mana Body, that was about 10 million mana.

    In any case, Keith knew he could fight freely, so he turned to face an untouched portion of the oasis, his smile widening. The atmosphere tensed as Keith once again raised the palm of his hand, except this time, dozens of monsters rushed out of their hiding spots before Keith could summon any meteors.

    They had just witnessed Keith¡¯s earlier fight, and seeing him face their direction scared them witless. Roaring, they attacked Keith. The Brutish Alligators spat out pillars of water, and the Dirk Scarabs tossed massive boulders as the Horned Beetles flanked Keith on both sides.

    Unlike before, Keith didn¡¯t raise a bunch of Earth Walls or cast Entangling Roots, as multicasting caused a skill¡¯s cooldown to increase drastically. Instead, he pointed forward, summoning ten bolts of lightning.

    In an instant, they chained from one monster to the next, forming an intricate web of lighting that lasted only a moment. The monster¡¯s growls halted in unison as they stiffened, smoke rising from their bodies. They collapsed to the ground, dead.

    Keith sighed in satisfaction when he saw he was halfway to the next level. He had never leveled so fast.

    By this point, Keith had destroyed about 40% of the oasis, and the remaining monsters knew that a calamity had arrived. They set aside their grudges and animosity towards each other, knowing they had to team up to survive. Thus, to Keith¡¯s surprise, a hundred-odd monsters charged out and attacked him with wild abandon.

    ¡°Woah,¡± Keith exclaimed and flew up to dodge the boulders and pillars of water, among other skills. The Horned Beetles flew after him, and a massive fight began. Keith flew around defensively as he continuously pointed and waved, each movement resulting in one skill after another being multicast.

    To the monster''s dismay, Keith was multicasting what others considered ultimate skills. Under his firepower, they were no match and were soon vanquished.

    Afterward, Keith went to the ruins, then the ravine. He was like a natural disaster ¨C reaping the lives of any monsters he encountered. In eight hours, Keith leveled from 571 to 594, and all it cost was 25 million mana. By then, the notification informing Keith about Mana Sickness appeared, so he called it a day.

    Sitting atop a griffin as it headed to Serenity Canyon, Keith looked over his skills, noticing that they hadn¡¯t leveled as much as he expected. They were struggling to push past 550. Keith sighed, accepting that he was reaching the limit of repetition. To level his skills further required an understanding of its effects.

    For example, to level Chain Lightning, he needed to learn how lightning worked. What was it? How to produce it? Another way was to encapsulate its essence in your mind. Back when Serilla taught Keith Void Shadowstep, that was the method he employed. Each approach had its pros and cons.

    As Keith brainstormed, the sound of glass shattering rang out. Alarmed, Keith looked up and found a large fissure spreading across the sky. Keith¡¯s gaze followed the fracture to its origin, where one crack after another linked together some hundreds of miles away.

    Although it was too far for him to get a clear picture, he knew someone had attacked the Skynet. Thankfully, the cracks in the sky repaired themselves, and soon they vanished completely.

    Keith¡¯s heart clenched, and without hesitation, unsummoned his griffin and pushed his Flight skill to its limit, hoping to reach New Hope as quickly as possible.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14

    Thousands of miles from Serenity Canyon, bordering Mandara Desert and Redpine Rainforest, was Myriad Reefs, a zone filled with underwater ridges. The colorful coral and vibrant fauna that spanned across the entire zone gave rise to a vast population of fish and crustaceans. The water here went no deeper than fifty feet, allowing anyone to witness this beautiful ecosystem in all its glory.

    Today, the sky was clear, except for a winged serpent thirty feet long that slithered through the air, its red scales glinting under the sun. Riding on its back was the third strongest squad of the Solar Flare Legion, a military organization loyal to Torg Igneo.

    Consisting of three men and two women, they were all over level 950, with well-developed innate gifts and skills.

    The squad¡¯s leader was Casadorn, a human with a shaved head and wide shoulders. He sat atop the serpent¡¯s head, one leg dangling off the side as he gazed below, expression gloomy.

    Hundreds of years ago, tens of thousands of anglers from his dimension once made a living catching fish in this zone, while now, there was no one in sight.

    To defend against Monster King Tyranus¡¯s neverending monster horde required centralizing their forces, so they had long abandoned the zones too far away from their capital zone. As a result, the cities, towns, and military bases in 20-some zones had long fallen into disrepair and ruin, including the teleportation network.

    Flying overhead, Casadorn caught sight of a port covered in algae that had collapsed underwater. Memories of his childhood surfaced ¨C scenes of his parents setting off on their boat as he waved goodbye before heading to school. Casadorn was half-certain this was the very same port he had spent the first twenty years of his life on, yet the fact he couldn¡¯t be sure filled him with bitterness.

    ¡°We¡¯ve lost so much,¡± he muttered, overwhelmed with emotion. In the last five hundred years, the population of his dimension went from over three billion to under one billion. Death had taken too many of his friends and acquaintances.

    ¡°Captain, don¡¯t worry. It won¡¯t be long before the Grandsky Realm belongs to us,¡± said a female dwarf sitting nearby, zeal in her eyes and conviction in her tone.

    Casadorn glanced sideways at Yolga and remained silent.

    Compared to Casadorn, whose mood had slowly worsened over the journey as he witnessed firsthand the decay of his once-prosperous dimension, Yolga remained optimistic.

    The difference lay in the state of the world when they were born.

    Yolga was less than two hundred years old, and from the day she entered this world, propaganda about serving Torg Igneo and the other rulers shaped her beliefs.

    Yolga was not alone in that aspect.

    For hundreds of years, the four rulers molded one generation after another into their soldiers, their worshipers.

    When Casadorn looked at Yolga next to him, he recalled the day the four rulers took advantage of the threat Monster King Tyranus posed to seize complete control of their dimension. On that day, they swept through the military¡¯s leadership and dismantled the government, catching everyone off-guard.

    With the deed done and Tyranus still at large, the other top experts could only capitulate. Today, the few people still alive who rejected the four rulers were like Casadorn, who kept his true thoughts locked in his heart. The others had long vanished without a trace, no doubt secretly killed.

    As Casadorn reminisced, a tall elf sitting near the serpent¡¯s tail stood up and looked into the distance. ¡°Someone¡¯s spying on us.¡±

    Casadorn swiftly returned to his usual deadpan expression. He asked, ¡°Where?¡±

    Troyan¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°In three directions. The feeling is vague ¨C it must be an array or a pet of some sort.¡±

    Casadorn turned to Yolga as her eyes flickered with mana. She glanced around and reported, ¡°I can¡¯t see anything. Either their array is well-hidden, or it is too high le- Ah, what the slimeballs is that?¡±

    Yolga looked to the north-east in abject shock.

    The squad followed Yolga¡¯s gaze and found nothing. Casadorn slowly stood to his feet. ¡°What do you see?¡±

    ¡°A-an array,¡± Yolga stammered, her eyes wide. ¡°It¡¯s enormous, from north to west; I think it¡¯s covering at least two zones.¡±

    ¡°Impossible,¡± Troyan spat. The squad struggled to believe her, as an array covering an entire zone was unheard of.

    Casadorn fell into thought. Command stated the enemy was a hit squad belonging to one of the other rulers intent on causing trouble. Clearly, the intel was wrong, as a mere hit squad couldn¡¯t possibly set up a zone-wide array.

    If not them, who was it?

    Survivors from the Conceptual Dimension?

    Whoever it was, they were trespassing on Elemental Dimension territory.

    That was an act of war.

    Troyan asked first, ¡°What do we do, Captain? Probe or report back?¡±

    As Torg Igneo had issued this mission, it might draw his ire if Casadorn¡¯s squad came so far only to return without further investigation. The man detested cowards.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    When Casadorn stood thinking, Yolga growled, ¡°How bold! We shed tears and blood fighting Tyranus¡¯ minions, and someone thinks they can take advantage of us?! They deserve to die!¡±

    Inspecting his teammates, Casadorn noticed the desire for action from their expressions, so he smirked arrogantly, ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll see who dares set up camp in our backyard.¡±

    Voicing their agreement, the squad prepared for battle. However, as they drew closer, their faces turned grim when they spotted the military fortifications behind the zone-wide barrier.

    Atop the ramparts were thousands of humans, elves, dwarves, and orcs standing shoulder to shoulder in similar armor, their collective gazes staring up at Casadorn¡¯s squad. They were completely still.

    Casadorn forced his mount to a stop. Holding his breath, he looked down and immediately noticed that the military fortification spanning for miles was like a slumbering dragon. It reminded him of the Blockade ¨C the Elemental Dimension¡¯s famous wall that repelled Tyranus¡¯s minions for five centuries. Although Casadorn wasn¡¯t a blacksmith or array artisan, his gut told him the resources that went into the defenses before him were no less than that of the Blockade.

    ¡°Captain, their levels, they¡­¡± Troyan¡¯s voice trailed off.

    Hearing Troyan¡¯s shock, Casadorn used Inspect, and what he found caught him off-guard. Surprisingly, he couldn¡¯t discern the levels of the people below him, no matter who he inspected. Casadorn himself was level 987, and the only way he couldn¡¯t find out someone¡¯s status was if they had a skill or item to block it.

    Combined with the astonishing quality of the battlements, Casadorn¡¯s perception of the forces below turned into one of an opponent he couldn¡¯t underestimate. Even the loyalist Yolga was intimidated by the sight.

    Unknowingly, Casadorn¡¯s squad had fallen victim to Yara¡¯s ploy. By using her Karma ability to obscure status panels and the army appearing mysterious, she had successfully deceived Casadorn¡¯s team into believing they were no match for the other party. In reality, the Innate Dimension¡¯s military had an average level of 700 and skill levels of around 600.

    Yolga mustered her courage and asked, ¡°What do we do now, Captain?¡±

    Thinking, Casadorn stepped off his mount and hovered in the air. With a solemn expression, he shouted, ¡°I am the third captain of the Solar Flare Legion representing the Elemental Dimension. What intentions do you have to build such defenses upon my dimension¡¯s zones?¡±

    Moments passed after Casadorn finished speaking, yet there was no response from the ramparts below. The air grew thick with tension as Casadorn¡¯s expression sunk. Looking away from the army, Casadorn turned his attention to the transparent zone-wide array. Logically, the integrity of such a massive array should be spread equally amongst its surface. Was it really as intimidating as it looked? He needed to find out.

    Widening his stance, flames erupted from Casadorn, turning him into a ball of fire. As he took in a deep breath, the color of the flames turned orange, then blue. Finally, the edges of the flames took on a white hue, causing the air around Casadorn to warp and twist disorientingly.

    In the back, Yolga and the rest felt envious when white appeared in Casadorn¡¯s flames. Less than twenty people in the Elemental Dimension could conjure white flames, and everyone who did was destined to become a Paragon ¨C a legendary individual with an innate skill level of 1,000.

    In any case, maintaining white flames was strenuous, even for Casadorn. Acting decisively, he pulled back his arm, and as he did, forced all the flames into his fist. Once compressed to the limit, he punched forward.

    Followed by a sonic boom, a flame in the shape of Casadorn¡¯s fist shot out and instantly collided with the zone-wide array in a deafening explosion. At the point of contact, the zone-wide array caved inward, cracks spreading across its surface. But that was all. Casadorn¡¯s Meteor Fist eventually fizzled out, leaving behind an intact array that quickly healed itself.

    As Casadorn and his squad had their full attention on the collision, they didn¡¯t notice the changing expressions of the army standing atop the ramparts.

    In the air, Casadorn was briefly stunned that his full-strength attack was useless, though he quickly understood that he was merely an individual. Breaching a fortress equivalent to the Blockade would take more than one person.

    Straightening his back, Casadorn released a low shout, ¡°Form the Molten Elemental!¡±

    Casadorn¡¯s command jolted his squad into action. In unison, they flew to Casadorn¡¯s side as blue flames erupted from their figures. Linking their flames together, they formed a humanoid creature ten meters tall.

    Empowered by his squad, Casadorn, floating inside the Molten Elemental¡¯s chest, raised his arms. The Molten Elemental mirrored his movements, and with its palms facing the sky, it conjured a ball of flame above its head. Seeing no movement from below, Casadorn didn¡¯t hold back and drew upon the majority of his teammate''s mana, turning the flame into a miniature star. Although it was 99% blue, sometimes, quantity overcame quality.

    Maintaining and compressing so much mana put an immense strain on Casadorn¡¯s mental faculties, causing him to break out into a cold sweat, which immediately evaporated. Knowing collapse was imminent, he pushed forward, throwing the miniature star toward the zone-wide array.

    Everyone, whether it was Casadorn¡¯s squad or the army below, looked on as the miniature star made contact with the array. Much like a boulder hitting the surface of a lake, the miniature star sunk into the array, its enormous weight creating an exaggerated image.

    Just when the miniature star was about to break through, Casadorn¡¯s squad watched in amazement as the zone-wide array came to life. Incomparably dense mana shot over from the rest of the array, reinforcing the imminent breach. When Casadorn noticed the array pushing back the miniature star, he willed it to explode.

    BOOOOOOOOOOM!

    A blinding flash took away everyone¡¯s vision, followed by sounds resembling that of shattered glass. The resulting shockwave knocked back Casadorn¡¯s squad and forcibly canceled their combination, while the army on the ramparts conjured numerous barriers to maintain their position.

    When Casadorn¡¯s vision recovered, his gaze landed on the zone-wide array, finding a gaping hole hundreds of meters across. There, fragments of mana continuously dissipated as the residual heat warped the air. It was an astonishing sight.

    Right when Casadorn wanted to celebrate his success, the zone-wide array rippled, reminding him of a heartbeat. Before his very eyes, the intact parts of the zone-wide array extended outward, much like blood forming a scab. In moments, the devastation caused by the miniature star vanished, replaced by fresh skin.

    Casadorn was speechless, having never seen an array with so much damage recover so fast. No, more crucial was the fact it had actively responded to his attack, reinforcing where it was weak. It almost felt like the array was alive. Taking a step back, Casadorn looked left, then right, and all he could see was the array. It truly was zone-wide.

    How much mana was powering this thing? Were arrays capable of such feats? Why hadn¡¯t he heard anything? Could someone tell him what was going on?

    Right then, Casadorn felt a fatal threat lock onto him, forcing him to teleport thirty feet backward in response. Panicked, he scanned his surroundings, but he couldn¡¯t see anything. Nonetheless, his instincts screamed that death was near.

    ¡°Retreat!¡± Casadorn ordered and flew toward the winged serpent. In less than a second, his squad regrouped on the mount, which then flew into the distance. All the while, Casadorn remained tense, his senses extended to their limit.

    When Casadorn¡¯s squad disappeared over the horizon, a figure covered in reflective scales appeared not far from where Casadorn previously hovered. With a twitch, the scales withdrew under the figure¡¯s skin, revealing Ska¡¯dur with a disappointed expression. ¡°Even exhausted, his senses were so sharp. I¡¯d love to fight him at his peak. Well, after I level up a bit¡­¡±

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15

    Within the fortifications lining the zone-wide array was a surveillance room, where holograms projecting various views from the nearby zones covered a wall. Yara and Markus, along with other leaders of the Innate Dimension, observed the entire encounter with Casadorn¡¯s squad silently, and when he left, everyone visibly relaxed.

    ¡°Yo, that went well,¡± Frod chortled.

    Markus shook his head and looked towards Fiona, a middle-aged elf with silver hair. ¡°A small group could already break through your Skynet. What if more came?¡±

    The Skynet was the brainchild of Fiona and her team, and while not as renowned as Frisk, she was considered one of the best scientists the Innate Dimension had to offer. Hearing Markus disapprove of the Skynet¡¯s performance, she smiled sweetly, ¡°Under an attack like before, indeed, the Skynet¡¯s passive reinforcement process takes too long to respond. We¡¯re still trying to improve this. However, if someone were to take active control, there¡¯d be no way for that oversized fireball to make its way through.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Markus nodded, satisfied.

    ¡°In addition,¡± Fiona continued, ¡°the integrity of the Skynet depends on the quantity of Mana Reactors powering it. It was designed with scalability in mind. Even I don¡¯t know its upper limit.¡±

    Markus scoffed. ¡°That¡¯s easier said than done. You know better than I how many resources it takes to build those things.¡±

    ¡°If you cut the resources invested in the military by half, we¡¯d have more than enough Mana Reactors to go around,¡± Fiona rebuked, aggrieved with the government¡¯s recent allocation of assets.

    Markus stood tall. ¡°External strength is, in the end, unreliable. It is better to focus on improving ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Fiona smirked. ¡°Then why depend upon ¡®unreliable¡¯ strength like the Skynet?¡±

    Markus didn¡¯t waver and answered, ¡°I have no problem with using external strength, so long as it remains a secondary priority. I will never confuse the order of the two.¡±

    The officers around Markus were impassioned by his response, while the scientists near Fiona thought Markus was being hypocritical.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Just as Fiona was about to continue arguing, Yara spun around and snapped, ¡°Cut it out, you two.¡±

    Turning to Fiona, she said, ¡°Have you forgotten how much we spent on R&D before the gateway to the Grandsky Realm opened?¡±

    Fiona shrunk back.

    Yara put her hands on her hips and stated, ¡°Right now, what matters is to increase our overall strength as quickly as possible. The military can quadruple their power in a year, so we¡¯re focusing on them. If your department could do the same or better, then we¡¯d switch priorities. So tell me, are you capable of that?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Fiona lost her confidence and wilted. ¡°No.¡±

    Yara glanced around the room and stated, ¡°I¡¯ve calculated that it¡¯ll take seven days before the Elemental Dimension returns with a larger force, including Torg Igneo, so over the next week, we need to take some risks. If, before, your subordinates opted not to hunt certain monsters in fear of casualties, that mindset needs to change. We cannot afford to hold back at this critical juncture.¡±

    The military officers immediately frowned. Major General Luca stepped forward and asked, ¡°Is that necessary?¡±

    Yara sighed, ¡°If Torg Igneo wasn¡¯t appearing, then such a measure wouldn¡¯t be necessary. However, he changes everything.¡±

    Major General Luca didn¡¯t believe it. ¡°You are speaking like one person can sweep through our army.¡±

    ¡°Correct,¡± Yara confirmed. ¡°You haven¡¯t experienced it yet. On the battlefield, if no one counters someone like Torg, he can do whatever pleases. Without enough strength, no matter how we try to restrict him, he¡¯ll simply break through and target our leaders. It¡¯ll take a few minutes at most. After that, he¡¯ll indiscriminately unleash area-of-effect attacks to wipe out our forces. If you think he¡¯ll be similar to Elaine, you¡¯re wrong. Compared to Elaine, who developed herself to be a support, Torg is a die-hard battle maniac. While it''s hard to say who¡¯s the strongest in the Grandsky Realm, Torg is definitely among the top 3. We cannot underestimate him.¡±

    Yara feared her companions wouldn¡¯t take Torg seriously, so she repeatedly stressed his importance. Thankfully, everyone present respected Yara to the point of worship. They all realized the gravity of the matter.

    ****

    By the time Keith arrived at New Hope, everyone had long resumed their business. There was no sense of panic at all. Bewildered, he asked a soldier stationed nearby for information and found out exactly what happened. Keith¡¯s heart clenched. The Elemental Dimension discovered them?

    Stepping to the side of the street, Keith pulled out his magic tablet and sent a message to his mother inquiring for more details. She responded by the time he returned home, saying the Elemental Dimension would return in a week.

    Keith fell into thought.

    Yara frequently rambled to Keith about her strategies and plans, so he knew that the upcoming confrontation determined whether the Elemental Dimension would treat the Innate Nation as equals.

    Feeling stressed, Keith sorted through his loot from the day and went to bed, but he struggled to fall asleep. An unbearable weight pressed down, suffocating him. Although he was growing quickly, there was too little time. Anxiety left him restless, and he tossed and turned until the sun rose over the horizon.

    Rising an hour earlier than yesterday, he ate a quick breakfast and left for Mandara Desert. Today¡¯s goal: reach level 650.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16

    Keith crossed the border into Mandara Desert and planned to sweep through all the places of interest he found yesterday. However, when he arrived at the oasis, he spotted several teams from the Innate Nation¡¯s military locked in combat with the monsters there. Helpless, Keith could only head to the next spot, then the next. After half an hour of flying and no action, he discovered that soldiers occupied every place he fought at yesterday.

    Witnessing this, Keith knew the military was just as anxious as he was. They were doing their best to get stronger before the clash against the Elemental Dimension. As a result, Keith had to push deeper into the desert to find something to hunt.

    An hour later, he came to a halt.

    The heat here was exceptionally intense. The wind howled like a dying animal, and sand flew everywhere, reducing Keith¡¯s visibility to a minimum. Shivers ran down his spine. The environment made him feel vulnerable.

    Gathering his courage, Keith flew down, hoping to find something on the surface. And he did. There, in the distance, was a lone herb. It shot up two feet and then tilted over, where it held a gem-like pearl radiating rainbow light. It looked exceptionally out of place and immediately drew Keith¡¯s attention.

    He became cautious.

    Keith knew powerful monsters protected the more valuable herbs, so he kept his eyes peeled for movement as he flew over. Since this was a desert, the monster was most likely directly underneath the herb, waiting for someone to take the bait.

    While Keith could pre-emptively launch an attack, that might destroy the herb. He had never seen such a beautiful plant, what with its glowing light and mirky white pearl, and was unwilling to risk it. That was even more the case when he got close enough to cast Inspect.

    [Divine ¨C Rainbow Pearl Grass]

    Description: Herblore level is too low to gather any information.

    Divine!

    Keith started shaking excitedly, as this was the first divine grade item he¡¯d ever seen. What effects did the herb have, having such a high grade? And what if an alchemist turned it into a potion? It was too bad Keith¡¯s herblore level was lacking to discern anything.

    Just then, the earth started to rumble violently.

    Obscured by the sandstorm, something erupted from the ground, rising higher and higher. It was like a massive wall, ever-growing. Soon, it towered high into the sky.

    The sight stunned Keith, wondering what monster could be so large. At that moment, the sandstorm behind Keith cleared, and he spun around, only to find another massive wall.

    Two monsters?!

    No!

    With visibility restored, Keith noticed that the edges of the wall had teeth, enormous teeth. It was as if a lightning bolt had struck Keith from head to toe, and he immediately realized what was happening. The blood drained from his face, and without thinking, he ripped the Rainbow Pearl Grass from the sand and flew up as fast as he could.

    A deep roar came from below as the very earth flipped over. Keith went wide-eyed as he watched the two walls start to close in on each other.

    Faster! Faster!

    Three hundred feet¡­

    Two hundred feet¡­

    A hundred feet¡­

    Keith pushed his Flight skill to its limit, and at the last moment, when the gargantuan mouth was on the verge of closing, Keith used all three charges of Blink to teleport to the other side.

    SNAP!

    Tooth met tooth as a shockwave blasted Keith even higher. He spun uncontrollably before finally stabilizing. Looking down, he broke out into a cold sweat. A monster more terrifying than the Royal Queen Bee had appeared.

    The beast appeared like a whale, except its skin was rugged like leather. It had large, beady eyes, which were currently staring up at Keith.

    [Divine, Monster Lord] Orcus, the Sandborn ¨C Level 760

    Health: 85,000,000/85,000,000

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Unbelievably, it was the zone boss. Only one monster in each zone had that privilege, and Keith had unexpectedly encountered it.

    Orcus¡¯ eyes locked onto the Rainbow Pearl Grass in Keith¡¯s hands. When it took a breath, it pulled Keith forward several feet, making him think he was about to be attacked. However, Orcus simply roared, ¡°THIEF!!!¡±

    Saliva flew everywhere, covering Keith from head to toe. Shocked and disgusted, he used a Cleanliness Ring on himself.

    Orcus¡¯ eyes grew bloodshot as its voice boomed, ¡°You dare to steal my treasure?!¡±

    ¡°Uh,¡± Keith looked down at the Rainbow Pearl Grass in his hands. With a forced smile, he offered it to Orcus. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t know it was yours. You can have it back.¡±

    A vein throbbed on Orcus¡¯ forehead. It was enraged. ¡°Take another look, brat. I waited three years for it to grow and planned to use it to break through to the celestial rank. Now, look at what you¡¯ve done!¡±

    Keith cast Inspect on the herb once more.

    [Divine ¨C Rainbow Pearl Grass (72% Damaged)]

    Description: Herblore level is too low to gather any information.

    With Orcus about to swallow him earlier, Keith didn¡¯t have time to use proper harvesting techniques and instead ripped it out with brute force. While Keith felt regretful, the Rainbow Pearl Grass cracked into pieces and dissipated into the wind. Left behind was a glittering seed.

    [Divine ¨C Rainbow Pearl Grass Seed]

    Description: Herblore level is too low to gather any information.

    Keith was first stunned, then delighted. The chance a herb left behind a seed was low, much less a divine grade one. Now that it did, didn¡¯t this mean he could plant it in his Farming Simulator and turn it into dozens, if not hundreds, of divine grade herbs?

    ¡°DIE!¡± An aggrieved bellow returned Keith to reality. When Orcus saw the Rainbow Pearl Grass disperse, rage overwhelmed what little reason it had. The instincts of a system born monster rose to the top, and all it wanted to do was swallow Keith in one bite.

    ¡°Ah, well, gotta go!¡± Keith promptly turned and fled, not thinking for a second of fighting Orcus. He wasn¡¯t crazy!

    In response to Orcus¡¯ anger, the surrounding sand whipped into a frenzy, turning into a fierce sandstorm. It was so blinding that Keith could only see a few feet ahead. Looking over his shoulder, he saw a massive shadow chasing him and jumped in fright.

    When a minute passed and Orcus saw that it was too slow to catch Keith, it quickly changed tactics and took a deep breath. Normally, when a human breathed, if a fly flew too close at the wrong time, they might accidentally swallow it. In this case, Orcus was the human, and Keith the fly. An unresistible suction force wrapped around Keith and yanked him backward.

    Keith¡¯s eyes widened in alarm, and as he flipped about, he started casting spells in an effort to interrupt Orcus.

    Holy Flame Lance!

    Death¡¯s Touch!

    Infernal Blast!

    Wind Lord¡¯s Scythe!

    All of Keith¡¯s big-hitting spells hit Orcus spot on, yet the beast didn¡¯t react in the slightest.

    .

    [Divine, Monster Lord] Orcus, the Sandborn ¨C Level 760

    Health: 84,988,000/85,000,000

    <u> </u>

    Keith had spent over 100,000 mana and only dealt a measly 12,000 damage to Orcus¡¯ 85 million health pool. Its defenses were scarily high.

    Changing tactics, Keith cast Cold Snap on the ground, then summoned an Earth Wall. From the wall sprouted a giant root, which extended upward and grasped Keith around the leg.

    It worked!

    Keith was about to pull himself to safety when a scythe made from sand came out of nowhere and severed the root, as well as Keith¡¯s hopes.

    By now, Keith was right in front of Orcus¡¯ mouth, and he could already see the monster¡¯s jaws coming to a close. Orcus had timed it perfectly. When Keith entered, its front teeth would grind him into meat paste.

    Noticing the monster¡¯s plan, Keith steeled his resolve and stopped resisting the suction force, instead moving with it.

    SNAP!

    Keith¡¯s decision saved him from death, and he safely entered Orcus¡¯ mouth. He was now trapped inside, with nowhere to go.

    Keith started panicking.

    Suddenly, there was a whoosh, and something slimy slammed into Keith, sending him flying. With a bang, Keith collided with one of Orcus¡¯ teeth and lost 12,000 health. Dazed by the impact, Keith didn¡¯t react when Orcus¡¯ tongue pressed over, squeezing him against the tooth.

    ¡°Agh!¡± Keith screamed in pain as his health fell by the thousands with every passing moment. The threat of death brought Keith unprecedented clarity, and he quickly went through his skills, trying to find a solution.

    And he did.

    Void Shadowstep.

    Keith¡¯s body flickered and turned intangible, gaining the property of avoiding all physical attacks and, by extension, anything physical. Overwhelmed with delight, Keith used his Flight skill to pass through Orcus¡¯ tooth and cheek. Light replaced darkness, and Keith found himself outside. He checked his status and realized he had dropped under 30% health.

    ¡°Huh?¡± A startled cry came from Orcus as, just below its eye, it discovered Keith battered and bloodied.

    The cry shook Keith to his core, and he quickly fled. Before he could get far, a familiar suction force pulled him backward. This time, Keith was prepared and activated his physical immunity form, ignoring the effect completely.

    ¡°Haha!¡± Keith laughed with joy when he realized freedom was near.

    As Keith flew further away, Orcus realized its suction attack was ineffective, so it summoned a handful of Sand Scythes near Keith, hoping to cut him into pieces.

    When Keith saw the scythes homing in, he felt the mana imbued inside them and switched to Void Shadowstep¡¯s element immunity form at the last moment. The suction force took effect as the Sand Scythes flew through Keith, and when the danger passed, he quickly switched back to his physical immunity form.

    Crap, Keith thought.

    During that brief moment, Orcus understood what was happening and knew what to do. Acting decisively, one Sand Scythe after another assaulted Keith in an unending barrage. Helpless, Keith had to keep his elemental immunity form active and allow the suction force to pull him toward Orcus¡¯ mouth.

    Like d¨¦j¨¤ vu, Keith arrived before Orcus¡¯ mouth, and the same situation unfolded. This time, Orcus wasn¡¯t tricked and accounted for Keith accelerating at the last second. Thankfully, a charge for Blink came off cooldown, allowing Keith to teleport out of harm¡¯s way.

    Keith again found himself inside Orcus¡¯ mouth, and fury overcame him.

    Fine, since you want to eat me so bad, I won¡¯t leave.

    Earlier, facing Orcus alone was too dangerous, so Keith didn¡¯t think about fighting it. Now that he was unable to escape, he changed his mindset. And when he did, he realized the situation wasn¡¯t as dire as it seemed.

    The key was Void Shadowstep and Orcus¡¯ massive body.

    Keith had never had the opportunity before, but what stopped him from using Void Shadowstep to pass through Orcus¡¯ body and find its organs? Say, its heart?

    Keith blinked.

    Nothing.

    There was absolutely nothing stopping him.

    Covered in blood, Keith broke out into a grin.

    Today, he was going to kill a divine grade Monster Lord.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17

    Keith hurriedly swapped out one of his rings for a Ring of Light, which lit up his surroundings within a thirty feet radius. This time, he could see Orcus¡¯ enormous tongue whipping toward him, and he activated Void Shadowstep¡¯s physical immunity form. It passed through Keith harmlessly.

    The Ring of Light was still working in Void Shadowstep form, and Keith used its light to guide him down Orcus¡¯ throat and into its belly.

    Time was tight.

    Void Shadowstep already cost a tremendous amount of mana to keep active, and it grew more expensive the longer it was up. Thankfully, Keith had over twenty million mana to work with and could use it much longer than his Aunt Serilla.

    Suddenly, Keith¡¯s surroundings shifted, and he appeared outside Orcus¡¯ body. Stunned, he spun around and watched as Orcus rolled over in an attempt to disrupt whatever Keith was doing inside its body.

    Keith immediately realized what happened. Any momentum Orcus gained never transferred to Keith, as he was akin to a ghost. That made things a little more difficult.

    Gritting his teeth, Keith charged into Orcus¡¯ body from the side before the monster realized it had knocked him out.

    Keith¡¯s plan was simple.

    He would treat Orcus¡¯ body as a beehive and travel any which way until he recognized a heart, brain, or something else important.

    Once¡­

    Twice¡­

    Keith repeatedly flew in and out of Orcus¡¯ body. Sometimes, Orcus¡¯ random movement did it, and sometimes, Keith accidentally left.

    When Keith had spent almost ten million mana, he passed through some muscle and heard a mighty boom. Without hesitation, he turned off Void Shadowstep. On the outside, Orcus flipped about, causing Keith to slam into a nearby artery. He quickly grabbed the tube as thick as a tree and held on tight. Looking up, he saw a gargantuan heart larger than a house.

    THUMP!

    THUMP!

    THUMP!

    Each heartbeat sent ripples through the air, and Keith could even hear blood flowing through the artery next to him. He gasped in amazement, awed at the wonders of the world, though another tumble from Orcus quickly returned Keith to his senses. It was time for some payback.

    Focusing on the heart above, Keith multicast Holy Flame Lance, consuming over 100,000 mana to summon five. Using his Mana Manipulation skill, Keith brought each lance close enough to the point they were almost touching each other. Then, he let them loose.

    WOOSH!

    The lances scorched the air as they shot upward. In less than a second, they pierced through the defenseless heart, disappearing within and leaving behind five gaping holes. Keith felt Orcus shiver from the attack, but before he could celebrate his success, a torrential volume of blood spewed out from the wounds and poured onto Keith, drenching him from head to toe.

    Disgusted, Keith hastily flew to another location and used his Cleanliness ring. Glancing back, he saw that blood continued to flow out of the heart without any sign of stopping. Orcus was losing an incredible amount of blood with every passing second.

    At first, Keith wanted to keep his distance and save his energy, yet after a few minutes, he saw Orcus¡¯ wounds start to heal, so he continued bombarding the heart from different directions.

    In moments, Orcus¡¯ heart was spewing blood everywhere, and even after ten minutes, it was still going strong. Keith was amazed. How come Orcus wasn¡¯t dead already? It couldn¡¯t be that it had three hearts, right? Huh. Maybe it did.

    Keith glanced at his mana and saw he had spent over 14 million. He was approaching his limit, and Mana Sickness would cripple Keith if Orcus didn''t die soon.

    Thinking of a plan, Keith flew to a nearby artery and followed it down through Orcus¡¯ body, occasionally poking a hole in it. Eventually, Keith arrived in Orcus¡¯ stomach, judging by the disgusting walls of flesh pressing together.

    On the verge of throwing up, Keith started making a mess. He was like a toddler causing wanton destruction. Holes appeared where they shouldn¡¯t be, and all sorts of bile emerged. When that happened, Keith promptly threw up.

    At the same time, Orcus started flipping about anxiously, feeling unbearable pain. It had eaten so many monsters it had lost count, and they had never caused any problems in its body. It must be because Keith was too small.

    While Orcus felt regret, its attempts to disrupt Keith slowed as weakness took hold. Its vision grew faint, and it eventually lay still on the ground, its breathing coming to a halt.

    When that happened, its massive body dissipated into motes of light, revealing Keith, who fell with a plop. Covered in green and yellow juices, Keith blankly looked around before realizing he had won. Orcus was dead.

    In the next moment, a wave of notifications filled the corner of Keith¡¯s vision.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Congratulations! You have leveled up!

    Congratulations! You have leveled up!

    Congratulations! You have leveled up!

    Congratulations! You have leveled up!

    There were so many level up messages that Keith swiped them away and instead looked at his status. His mouth hung open. Shockingly, he had reached level 663 from 594 in one go, granting him hundreds of stat points to allocate. Before Keith could recover from his surprise, a golden colored notification arrived.

    Congratulations! You have solo killed a divine grade Monster Lord at or above your level and acquired the title: Divine Grade Adventurer (+++)

    Title: Divine Grade Adventurer (+++)

    Description: Increases the effectiveness of all primary stats by 15%.

    As Keith read the title¡¯s effects, he felt a tremendous wave of vitality and strength flow into his body, dazing him. For a moment, he was confused, wondering exactly what ¡®effectiveness¡¯ meant. Thankfully, the System provided a definition when he focused on the word.

    ¡°Holy slimeballs,¡± Keith gasped, overwhelmed with joy. He didn¡¯t expect the effectiveness modifier to be so powerful. If vitality normally gave 1 health point, then 15% effectiveness boosted it to 1.15.

    Keith remembered that the modifiers ¡®+% to all stats¡¯ only increased his base stats. They didn¡¯t work on stats provided by equipment. However, the effectiveness modifier worked on his total stats. That meant the Divine Grade Adventurer (+++) title had increased Keith¡¯s overall power by 15%.

    Besides the level ups and title, there was one more thing to look forward to¡ªOrcus¡¯ loot. Keith glanced around and found a small pile of glittering objects in the distance. Running over, he started sorting through the items.

    (Divine) Titanium Ore

    (Divine) Sand Whale Skin

    (Divine) Sand Whale Tooth

    First were the materials used to make equipment, which numbered 17. Keith estimated they were worth at least ten billion gold, considering how sparse divine grade materials were.

    (Divine) Elixir of Vitality

    (Divine) Elixir of Strength

    (Divine) Elixir of Agility

    Next were the elixirs, 7 in total. Each one gave a permanent increase of 50 to base stats.

    Keith stepped back and took a deep breath. The materials and elixirs took up the greatest portion of Orcus¡¯ loot, yet they were the least valuable. He left the two most important items for last.

    Of them, one was a clear bottle containing sand that moved on its own. Keith couldn¡¯t discern what it was, though judging by its uniqueness, it was something good.

    (Divine, Mount) Dire Desert Eagle

    Description: Summons a Dire Desert Eagle with the flying speed of an elite aerial monster and unlimited stamina. Doesn¡¯t require mana to maintain.

    ¡°Slimeballs,¡± Keith shook upon reading the description. With the size of the Grandsky Realm, it took too long to travel and was a waste of precious time. Currently, the griffin Keith used was a mythic grade monster pet. He didn¡¯t need to guess that the Dire Desert Eagle was leagues ahead in speed.

    Satisfied, Keith turned his attention to a glowing silver gem, and his anticipation rose to the peak. So far, everything Orcus dropped was at the divine grade. Surely, the skill gem would be, too, right?

    (Divine, Skill) Arsenal of the Desert

    Description: Conjure weapons with stats equivalent to 70% of a divine grade weapon. Mana cost and duration depend on skill level.

    Note 1: There are 12 forms to choose from.

    Note 2: Weapons can be controlled remotely.

    Note 3: Conjure 1 additional weapon for every 1,000 intelligence.

    Note 4: Conjured weapons have extremely low durability.

    For a moment, Keith forgot to breathe. Thus far, his highest grade skill was mythic, and now, he skipped over ancient and went straight to divine. Keith was so excited he faced the sky and laughed.

    No, wait.

    Keith froze.

    Thanks to his transcendent grade mana body, didn¡¯t that mean Arsenal of the Desert would perform as if it was a celestial grade skill? And since it summoned weapons, wouldn¡¯t he possess celestial grade attack power?

    Holy slimeballs!

    Keith had spent billions of gold to commission an ancient grade armor set. How much would a celestial grade weapon cost? A trillion? And now he could summon them as he pleased? In any case, how strong was a celestial grade weapon? Keith had no clue. He hadn¡¯t even seen a divine grade weapon.

    Without delay, Keith consumed the skill gem and acquired the Arsenal of the Desert skill. Then, to test its attack power, he used Entangling Roots to create a bramble wall. The roots summoned by Entangling Roots were somewhere between mythic and ancient in terms of durability. They would serve as a good reference.

    Holding up a hand, Keith used his new skill, at which point a whirlpool of sand appeared and formed a longsword covered in array markings. Keith gave it a flick and a resounding blade hum rang out. He was surprised by its hardness, considering sand made up its structure.

    Keith observed the arrays on the sword, knowing they had transformed something as simple as sand into a deadly weapon. The sight once again reaffirmed his passion for arrays. Their uses were endless.

    Clearing his head, Keith focused back on the test. Looking at the bramble wall, he sent the longsword flying with a thought. Before Keith could blink, it arrived next to the wall, waiting for its next command. Astonishingly, its speed was so fast his agility stat couldn¡¯t keep up.

    With a flick of Keith¡¯s finger, the longsword cleaved through the bramble wall like a knife through hot butter. The cut was so clean the wall didn¡¯t even shake. Surprised, Keith ran over, where he found a line so thin he almost missed it.

    ¡°Huh,¡± Keith gasped, unable to determine the upper limit of Arsenal of the Desert. Hmm.

    Should he test it on himself? He was wearing an ancient grade armor set, after all. Keith looked at the longsword hovering next to him.

    No, no.

    What if it cut his arm right off? How painful would that be?

    Moving away from the longsword, Keith opened his status and realized he could summon 14 weapons of this caliber. Combined with Mind Division, its lethality would rise further. From now on, Keith could use Entangling Roots to bind his opponent, then send a wave of celestial grade weapons to slice them up.

    With that beautiful thought, a wave of exhaustion overcame Keith. All he wanted was to lie down and sleep, so he summoned the Dire Desert Eagle from the bottle and mounted it. Unprepared by its incredible speed, he almost got whiplash.

    He watched, amazed, as the world blurred when he felt he had forgotten something.

    Thinking hard, he suddenly remembered the seed that had started the fight with Orcus.

    Keith facepalmed before opening the Farming Simulator minigame. He carefully inserted the Rainbow Pearl Grass seed and looked at its details.

    [Divine] Rainbow Pearl Grass Seed

    Growth time: 3 months, 2 days, 13 hours

    Harvest quantity: 1 Rainbow Pearl Grass, 1 Rainbow Pearl Grass seeds

    Mutation chance: 0%

    Failure chance: 5%

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18

    Keith awoke to the sound of someone knocking on the front door, and it was so loud he almost thought they were trying to break in. Feeling groggy, Keith glanced at the time and realized it was already past noon. He was so exhausted from his fight with Orcus that he had slept over 18 hours.

    As if noticing Keith had woken up, the banging grew more intense.

    ¡°Hang on,¡± Keith groaned. He staggered out of bed and habitually checked his magic tablet for any messages. There were over a dozen, all from one person.

    Ska¡¯dur: Nephew, I need some advice on how to unlock Mana Manipulation. Are you available? Don¡¯t worry ¨C I¡¯ll give you valuable information in exchange.

    Ska¡¯dur: Hey, you there?

    Ska¡¯dur: Hey?

    Ska¡¯dur: Hey.

    Ska¡¯dur: Hey.

    ¡­

    Ska¡¯dur: I¡¯m coming to you.

    Keith was baffled. So it turned out Ska¡¯dur was at the door, but why was he so naggy? Keith stretched before making his way downstairs. He opened the front door and greeted Ska¡¯dur, who towered over him, ¡°Hello, Uncle Ska¡¯dur.¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡± Ska¡¯dur¡¯s instincts informed him that Keith had become much stronger than the last time he saw him, more than he expected. Sighing to himself, he recalled his youth when different tribes raged war against one another and felt that things never changed.

    Ska¡¯dur observed how tired Keith was and, flashing a smile, asked, ¡°Hungry?¡±

    Keith rubbed his eyes with a nod.

    ¡°Let me cook you something,¡± Ska¡¯dur responded and brushed past Keith, making his way to the kitchen. He opened a few cabinets and, finding them empty, glanced back. ¡°Where¡¯s your pans?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I haven¡¯t bought any yet,¡± Keith answered with some embarrassment.

    ¡°Salt? Butter?¡±

    ¡°None,¡± Keith shrunk his neck and continued, ¡°I order take-out¡­¡±

    Ska¡¯dur shook his head and withdrew several items from his inventory. ¡°Well, good thing I¡¯m always ready to make a hearty meal.¡±

    Still sleepy, Keith sat down at the table and watched Ska¡¯dur cook. Soon enough, an enticing aroma spread from the kitchen, making Keith¡¯s stomach growl in anticipation.

    Weirdly, the hulking man occasionally glanced at Keith out of the corner of his eye as he cooked. Keith raised an eyebrow, finding Ska¡¯dur¡¯s behavior similar to someone wanting to ask their crush out on a date yet couldn¡¯t find the courage.

    He recalled Ska¡¯dur¡¯s message and asked, ¡°What did you need help with?¡±

    Ska¡¯dur shuddered at Keith¡¯s question. ¡°Eat first.¡±

    Sure enough, Keith thought. Who knew Ska¡¯dur would be so shy when asking someone for assistance? Keith almost started laughing. Wait. Was Ska¡¯dur cooking him a delicious meal to butter him up before he asked for help? Was this a bribe? Well, it wasn¡¯t like he could refuse.

    A few minutes later, Keith stared down at the super-sized omelet, hashbrowns, sausage, toast, and cup of coffee. The omelet alone was almost as big as his head. While Keith was hesitating, his stomach growled as if asking, ¡®What are you waiting for?¡¯.

    Unable to hold back, Keith grabbed his fork and dug in.

    Ska¡¯dur sat down across from Keith, and as Keith ate, he occasionally glanced in Keith¡¯s direction, twirling his beard and shifting uncomfortably from time to time.

    Slimeballs.

    It wouldn''t be so awkward if he had to ask Markus or one of his peers for help, though asking someone hundreds of years younger than him was another thing altogether. Where would his reputation go if word got out?

    Meanwhile, as Keith ate, he started getting second-hand embarrassment. He never lifted his head the entire time; instead, he focused on stuffing the enormous omelet down his throat. After what felt like ages, he finished the sausage and was surprised he had eaten everything. It was just too delicious.

    Keith finally looked over at Ska¡¯dur and said, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Ska¡¯dur waved his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡±

    ¡°So, about your message?¡± Keith asked.

    Ska¡¯dur avoided eye contact and explained, ¡°Ah, well, how do I put it? I¡¯m having trouble unlocking Mana Manipulation, and I heard you were the first to acquire it. I was hoping you would have a tip or two to share.¡±

    Keith thought about it. ¡°You know how you can sense your spells from a distance? Your mana is the same, except it¡¯s inside you. You need to build a connection to it with your mind ¨C a mental muscle of sorts. It¡¯s like learning how to move your ear or eyebrow.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    Ska¡¯dur sighed. ¡°Other people have mentioned similar things before. Although I understand the principle, I can¡¯t seem to make it a reality.¡±

    While Ska¡¯dur felt disappointed, Keith suddenly remembered something and shared, ¡°When I reached the level 500 skill threshold, I hit a bottleneck. Around then, I learned that your mental state heavily affects your connection with mana.¡±

    ¡°Your mental state?¡± Ska¡¯dur¡¯s eyes lit up.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Keith nodded. ¡°When I cleared my mind of emotions and entered a meditative state, I could control mana as easily as moving my fingers.¡±

    Ska¡¯dur stood up excitedly, ¡°I¡¯ll try it now.¡±

    Moving over to an open area, Ska¡¯dur sat cross-legged and instantly calmed down, reaching a state of zen in seconds. Time passed with no movement from Ska¡¯dur, so Keith started browsing the magic network.

    When an hour went by, Ska¡¯dur opened his eyes and frowned bitterly, ¡°It didn¡¯t work. Nothing changed.¡±

    Keith saw Ska¡¯dur¡¯s disappointment and started brainstorming for ideas. He mused, ¡°Maybe you need a different mindset. It could be a personality thing.¡±

    ¡°Oh? If it¡¯s me, then¡­¡± Ska¡¯dur closed his eyes once again.

    Keith was about to return his attention to the magic tablet when Ska¡¯dur started trembling. His veins popped out, his jaw clenched tight, and his skin flushed red. Abruptly, mana exuded from Ska¡¯dur¡¯s body. Keith was astonished. He succeeded?

    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Ska¡¯dur stood to his feet, and his eyes shot open, revealing they were bloodshot. Slowly, he returned to normal, yet mana continued to coil around him.

    Ska¡¯dur looked at his hand. ¡°What a strange feeling. It¡¯s similar to life energy and different at the same time.¡±

    Keith smiled happily, saying, ¡°Feel inside your chest. See anything?¡±

    Ska¡¯dur did as Keith suggested and was amazed. ¡°Are these my skills?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Keith affirmed.

    ¡°There are so many new runes I don¡¯t know,¡± Ska¡¯dur gasped, knowing what this meant for the array industry.

    ¡°It¡¯s incredible, isn¡¯t it?¡± Keith said emotionally. ¡°If we can deduce the meaning of even a fraction of the runes hidden within skill arrays, who knows what we could do?¡±

    Standing tall, Ska¡¯dur focused and shakily withdrew his mana into his body, like returning a sword to its sheath. With a wide smile, he approached Keith and clapped the young man on his shoulder. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Keith grimaced.

    Ska¡¯dur caressed his beard, starting, ¡°I said earlier that I¡¯d exchange information with you. I¡¯ve never told anyone else, and I hope you don¡¯t spread what I¡¯m about to share with you. It¡¯s related to my legacy.¡±

    Keith felt the atmosphere grow heavy. ¡°I promise.¡±

    ¡°How should I explain?¡± Ska¡¯dur crossed his arms and tilted his head. ¡°It¡¯s like the skill arrays inside my chest. Just a moment ago, I would have never known that skills had a source. I bet you were the same.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Keith agreed, wondering where Ska¡¯dur was going with this.

    Ska¡¯dur¡¯s gaze grew vacant. ¡°Many years ago, when studying arrays, I had a question: where did our stats draw power from? Was it something physical? Something intangible? I couldn¡¯t find the answer.¡±

    Keith¡¯s pupils dilated. He had never thought about this before.

    ¡°It took me decades before I made a breakthrough,¡± Ska¡¯dur revealed.

    Keith watched as Ska¡¯dur raised a palm covered by golden flame-like energy. It was beautiful, vibrant, and full of vigor, similar to an overgrown forest.

    ¡°Life energy,¡± Ska¡¯dur explained. ¡°Formed by combining the sources of five stats.¡±

    ¡°Where did you find the sources?¡± Keith locked onto the key point.

    Ska¡¯dur shrugged. ¡°They exist within your body. Within every drop of blood, within every fiber of muscle. It¡¯s all over, ever-present. I came to sense them from an epiphany. I don¡¯t have a method to teach you.¡±

    ¡°And how did you combine them into that?¡± Keith pointed at the golden flame.

    Ska¡¯dur froze. ¡°Well, I suppose the System did with the skill creation function. I tried combining them myself and could never find the right balance.¡±

    ¡°Are you teasing me?¡± Keith¡¯s expression dropped. Although Ska¡¯dur revealed a powerful new type of energy, he didn¡¯t know how to find or combine it. In that case, Keith would rather remain unaware of its existence!

    ¡°No,¡± Ska¡¯dur coughed. ¡°My intention wasn¡¯t to teach you my legacy skill.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Keith¡¯s mood soured.

    Ska¡¯dur hastily explained, ¡°I wanted you to recognize that stats, something everyone takes for granted, have a much greater depth. A depth so great that I used them to create a transcendent grade skill. And if something as simple as stats could do that, who knows what else we¡¯re missing?¡±

    The room fell silent, and when Ska¡¯dur saw Keith seriously contemplating the meaning behind his words, he felt gratified. Growing solemn, he asked, ¡°Keith, do you know my greatest fear?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Keith was intrigued.

    Ska¡¯dur stared into the young man¡¯s eyes. ¡°I fear we rely too much on the System. For example, even though everybody uses skills, hardly anyone cares about learning how they function. Or consider my innate gift. I simply have no idea how it works. It¡¯s so complex that it boggles my mind. And it bothers me. It bothers me greatly that I use a skill I cannot begin to comprehend.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with relying on the System? It gives us the means to grow stronger, so it has to be benevolent towards us,¡± Keith countered.

    Ska¡¯dur shook his head. ¡°The System has already given us a hint. What happens when a skill reaches level 500?¡±

    ¡°Repetition no longer levels it up, and you need to start figuring out how¡­¡± Keith¡¯s voice trailed off when he realized what Ska¡¯dur was alluding to.

    ¡°When I was your age,¡± Ska¡¯dur recalled, ¡°kids played with a particular toy. It was a hollow doll, hiding another doll inside. And in that doll was another doll. For years, I and everyone else thought the Innate Dimension was the whole world, and then I learned about the Grandsky Realm. Have you ever considered what¡¯ll happen when someone combines all four Dimension Cores? Will it reveal another doll?¡±

    Keith shuddered at the implications, excited by the prospect.

    Ska¡¯dur chuckled. ¡°Of course, though I¡¯m only speculating, what if? What if there¡¯s a path beyond level 1,000, and the System takes another crutch away from us? Like removing the interface or the inspect skill?¡±

    Ska¡¯dur paused for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ve looked at some data collected by the government, and people in general struggle with leveling skills past 500. They¡¯ve grown too complacent with relying on the System, and their reliance has become a crutch that holds them back.¡±

    When Ska¡¯dur finished, Keith felt the mana and skill arrays inside him, muttering, ¡°Only power you understand is power you control.¡±

    Ska¡¯dur¡¯s expression lit up, and he slapped Keith on the shoulder, roaring with laughter, ¡°Hahaha, I couldn¡¯t have said it better myself. Only power you understand is power you control! What a great phrase!¡±

    Keith rubbed his shoulder to alleviate the pain and looked up at Ska¡¯dur, saying, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were so insightful.¡±

    Ska¡¯dur grinned. ¡°The Innate Dimension imprisoned me for five hundred years. Five hundred long years. Besides leveling skills, it left me a lot of time to think. I¡¯m not all muscle and brawn, you know.¡±

    ¡°Although you do have a lot of muscle,¡± Keith quibbed.

    ¡°True,¡± Ska¡¯dur chuckled.

    After a brief silence, Ska¡¯dur looked at the time and said, ¡°Okay, now that I acquired Mana Manipulation, I¡¯ll enter a time-accelerated Pocket Dimension and level it up. I don¡¯t have time to waste.¡±

    A moment later, Ska¡¯dur left, and Keith wondered if he should head to Mandara Desert to hunt monsters when a beep came from his magic tablet. Walking over, he opened his messages.

    Frisk: I want to show you something.

    I¡¯m popular today, Keith thought as he walked out the door.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19

    The time-accelerated Pocket Dimension used by Frisk looked like a natural disaster swept through it, and when Keith entered, he held back his urge to clean it all up. Moving through the mess, Keith found Frisk slumped in a swiveling chair, his gaze unfocused, and his arms hanging limply over the armrests. Frisk¡¯s consciousness was currently inside his simulation innate gift, no doubt testing something.

    Not wanting to disturb Frisk, Keith followed a foul odor to a pile of leftover meals and began to make the area a little more presentable. After filling five trash bags, he went around, occasionally using the Cleanliness Ring to eliminate the smell. Finally, he approached Frisk for one last usage of the ring.

    At that moment, Frisk blinked, a sign his consciousness had returned.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Frisk jolted from his seat, surprised by Keith¡¯s sudden appearance.

    Keith deliberately held up the Cleanliness Ring on his finger and activated it to show Frisk, explaining, ¡°You stink.¡±

    Frisk waved his hand in annoyance. ¡°No need to make myself nice and pretty when I never see anyone.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t I count?¡± Keith grumbled.

    ¡°Meh.¡± Frisk scoffed. ¡°If my parents couldn¡¯t fix my habits, no one can. You¡¯d best give up trying.¡±

    Keith stared at Frisk silently to shame him into action, yet the man was like an emotionless rock. What social conventions? What grooming yourself? He didn¡¯t give a slimeball.

    In the end, Keith¡¯s curiosity overcame his desire to reform Frisk. He asked, ¡°What did you call me over for?¡±

    Frisk raised a hand, and his mana started to emerge. ¡°I unlocked Mana Manipulation.¡±

    ¡°Congratulations!¡± Keith felt happy for him.

    ¡°Yeah, well,¡± Frisk shook his head, ¡°it took me months of effort and a few divine grade potions before I could acquire it. I¡¯m certain my affinity for mana is at the bottom of the barrel.¡±

    ¡°At least now you can better understand it for your simulations,¡± Keith said, trying to keep things positive.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Frisk said as he slowly formed the skill array for Fireball. He pointed at it with his other hand and asked, ¡°Have you ever tried to activate an externalized skill array?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Keith nodded, ¡°it didn¡¯t work. I don¡¯t know why.¡±

    ¡°The same happened to me, so I made a Fireball skill array from scratch,¡± Frisk revealed as the externalized Fireball skill array underwent significant changes.

    Without waiting for Keith to respond, Frisk angled the custom skill array to face a nearby target dummy. The mana he funneled into it underwent subtle transformations with every rune it passed, and it turned into a Fireball when it shot out the other end, where it hit the target dummy with a small bang.

    ¡°Wow!¡± Keith was astonished by the sight. This was a revolutionary breakthrough!

    Frisk explained, ¡°That Fireball had destructive power equivalent to a level 300 Fireball. And if I add more runes to raise the heat, concentration, speed, etc, then I can increase its power to something above level 900.¡±

    This time, beads of sweat formed on Frisk¡¯s face when he made further changes to the custom Fireball skill array. He then channeled mana through the array, and a blue Fireball with white around its edges shot out and blasted the training dummy to pieces.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°What¡­¡± Keith had no words. How long would it take someone to train their Fireball skill to level 900? Frisk had circumvented the whole leveling process!

    Frisk wiped the sweat off his forehead. ¡°Fireball is one of the most common skills, and its potential is limited. I have no interest in pushing its limits. Recently, I¡¯ve spent most of my time creating a weapon capable of killing a level 1,000. Half of its power comes from materials and half from arrays.¡±

    Keith sucked in a breath. ¡°Are you saying¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Frisk smiled, then sighed. ¡°Unfortunately, I can''t form the array with my current Mana Manipulation level and poor affinity.¡±

    Keith was enlightened. ¡°So that¡¯s why you called me over. Okay. Let¡¯s start!¡±

    Frisk raised a hand and conjured a partial array. ¡°Here is a quarter of the Laegur Beam array.¡±

    Keith entered studying mode, curious to see Frisk¡¯s Laegur Beam in action. At first, he tried to grasp the rune syntax of the array only to realize they involved several scientific principles he couldn¡¯t understand¡ªthings like chemical reactions, mathematical formulas, and energy focusing. Keith couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of it, so he focused on copying and memorizing.

    After an hour, Frisk ran out of mental energy and had to take a short break. It took three breaks before Keith memorized the partial array and another ten until he remembered the whole thing.

    When Keith counted the number of runes, he found that the Laegur Beam consisted of over two thousand. By comparison, the custom Fireball array Frisk made had under two hundred. In reality, the number of runes didn¡¯t equate to capabilities; it was just a measure of difficulty. Frisk himself felt the Laegur Beam array had bloat and inefficiencies, but with his current knowledge, it was the best he could do.

    Once Keith memorized the Laegur Beam array, Frisk withdrew a grey metal block several feet thick from his inventory, explaining, ¡°This here is a divine grade material with defensive properties equivalent to a level 600 divine grade chest piece.¡±

    Standing up, Frisk walked up to a pole, clamped the metal block to the top, then returned to Keith¡¯s side. He said, ¡°The Laegur Beam array should consume about 100,000 mana per shot. Go ahead.¡±

    Keith activated Mind Division and Mind Enhancement, using four minds to conjure the Laegur Beam array. Utilizing Mana Manipulation, he funneled mana into the array, where it went through complex transformations. The array hummed and vibrated as he did, on the verge of breaking apart.

    A moment later, a flash of light blinded Keith, and when his vision recovered, he saw a fist-sized hole that almost pierced through the entire metal block. Liquid metal dripped to the ground, but what drew Keith¡¯s attention was a thin black crack connecting the array to the metal block that quickly disappeared.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Keith gasped, unsure.

    Frisk rubbed the stubble on his chin. ¡°The Laegur Beam was so destructive it damaged space.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s possible?¡± Keith¡¯s scalp tingled.

    ¡°Seeing is believing,¡± Frisk replied as he approached the metal block. He examined the hole and analyzed, ¡°Judging by the fact your average chest plate is around one to three inches thick, and the Laegur Beam nearly penetrated through three feet of divine grade metal, it''s clear it surpasses a divine grade skill in power. I just don¡¯t know if it¡¯s reached the transcendent grade threshold. There¡¯s not enough data to reference.¡±

    Keith appeared next to Frisk, holding a sword conjured from Arsenal of the Desert. ¡°I happen to have a celestial grade skill. Do you mind if I try a small test?¡±

    Frisk looked over in surprise, though he quickly understood that Keith¡¯s Mana Body was boosting a divine grade skill by one grade. Stepping to the side, he gestured for Keith to make his move.

    Holding the summoned sword in his hand, Keith widened his stance and, in one swift motion, chopped at a corner of the metal block.

    CLANG!

    The sword cut through almost a foot of metal before shattering into pieces, staying true to the skill¡¯s description that it was exceptionally brittle. Frisk examined the damage as Keith elaborated, ¡°That sword had 70% of a celestial grade weapon¡¯s stats.¡±

    Frisk folded his arms, saying, ¡°In that case, the Laegur Beam array should have power equivalent to a peak celestial grade skill.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Keith suddenly remembered something. ¡°You said that half of the power of that weapon you were working on came from the Laegur Beam array. If you included the half that came from materials, wouldn¡¯t it have the firepower of a transcendent grade skill?¡±

    Frisk nodded. ¡°Sounds about right.¡±

    Keith was amazed. While everyone was fighting monsters with their lives on the line to get stronger skills, Frisk locked himself away and used his knowledge to walk another path. Keith was overwhelmed with emotion, commenting, ¡°You¡¯re a genius!¡±

    ¡°Everyone says that,¡± Frisk shrugged.

    Keith laughed at Frisk¡¯s nonchalance, suddenly finding his flaws more tolerable. No wonder Yara spoiled Frisk rotten. He deserved it!

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20

    Keith rubbed his hands together and smiled cheekily, ¡°So, did you create other customized arrays? Like a barrier? Or how about an enhanced meteor array? Oh, maybe chain lightning?!¡±

    ¡°You wish.¡± Frisk scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m busy making the finishing touches on the Laegur Beam Cannon. After that, I have other projects to work on. Besides, how many people can even use externalized skill arrays right now? It¡¯d be a waste of my time to create some for only a handful of people.¡±

    Keith¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°I can wait. Waiting is good. How long? A month?¡±

    Frisk was annoyed by Keith¡¯s persistence. ¡°If you want them so bad, make them yourself.¡±

    ¡°Hehe,¡± Keith wasn¡¯t fooled. ¡°Your skill arrays would be way better than anything I could create.¡±

    Frisk waved Keith away. ¡°Then study, study, and study some more!¡±

    Keith¡¯s excitement deflated like a balloon. How long would it take to attain even half of Frisk¡¯s knowledge? Decades? Honestly, Keith didn¡¯t mind learning arrays ¨C he enjoyed it. If it weren¡¯t for the imminent arrival of Torg Igneo, he¡¯d lock himself away with Frisk and bury his nose in a book for who knows how long.

    However, reality was just like that.

    Sometimes, you had to do things you didn¡¯t prefer.

    Keith glanced at Frisk, who had returned to his desk. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll head out. Good luck with your Laegur Beam Cannon. Cool name, by the way.¡±

    Frisk merely raised a hand without turning his head to say goodbye. Keith didn¡¯t mind. It was an improvement compared to being outright ignored like in the past.

    Stretching his arms, Keith roused his spirit, left the Pocket Dimension, and traveled toward Myriad Reefs. Around five days remained until Torg Igneo knocked on their door, and he wanted to power up as much as he could before that happened.

    Keith wasn¡¯t alone in that regard.

    All of the Innate Nation¡¯s military were like locusts as they spread out from Serenity Canyon as the center, sweeping through all the monsters in their way. They sent the resources they acquired back to New Hope, where hordes of artisans toiled away, producing equipment, potions, and tools.

    Scientists were hard at work, too.

    Frisk partnered with several blacksmiths to make the finishing touches on the Laegur Beam Cannon, while another team of array masters made significant improvements to War Arrays. There were other ongoing projects as well.

    Meanwhile, inside one of the three time-accelerated Pocket Dimensions sat Ska¡¯dur, surrounded by a noise-canceling array. A quarter of this Pocket Dimension was for his use alone, with the rest used by researchers.

    As Ska¡¯dur focused, mana violently rippled across the surface of his body. Unlike Keith, who required an emotionless state to control his mana, Ska¡¯dur needed to be agitated.

    Thankfully, when he spent years researching the embryonic form of Life Energy, Ska¡¯dur learned to secrete adrenaline through his brain, heightening his senses and reaction time.

    Being the strongest fighter in the Innate Nation, it fell upon Ska¡¯dur¡¯s shoulders to tie down Torg Igneo, and the pressure he felt was suffocating. After all, the difference between them was immense. Torg had roamed the Grandsky Realm for over two thousand years, while Ska¡¯dur had just arrived.

    To have a chance against Torg, Ska¡¯dur desperately needed to acquire the transcendent grade Mana Body. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t need to learn about arrays, as he¡¯d done that centuries ago. The one obstacle remaining was his Mana Manipulation skill, and he was making great strides towards leveling it due to his experience with Life Energy.

    While Ska¡¯dur trained, intrusive thoughts constantly hindered his progress. Rhea. His daughter had fallen into a depression, unable to find any satisfaction from growing stronger when she depended on other people.

    Ska¡¯dur blamed himself.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Since Rhea¡¯s birth, he had instilled a mentality into her about relying solely on herself to develop. For Ska¡¯dur, living as a barbarian was a hobby, a way to pass the time. For Rhea, it was her way of life. It was easy for Ska¡¯dur to switch back, but not Rhea. It was the sole thing she knew.

    Although Ska¡¯dur felt saddened by Rhea¡¯s predicament, facing Torg Igneo was more pressing, so he returned his attention to his mana.

    Finally, a month later, Ska¡¯dur¡¯s Mana Manipulation skill reached level 500, and he began familiarizing himself with the transcendent grade Mana Body¡¯s countless arrays. It didn¡¯t take him long to memorize everything required.

    Soon after, Ska¡¯dur left the time-accelerated Pocket Dimension and went to the military base inside the cliff behind New Hope to use the few Tranquility arrays prepared for people to create their Mana Body.

    Once seated inside the array, Ska¡¯dur drank a cup of Heart Calming Tea and successfully formed his Mana Body in one attempt. When it unfolded throughout his body, Ska¡¯dur clenched his hands, amazed by the increase in his overall strength. He sent his senses inward, trying to learn how the Mana Body functioned, though he couldn¡¯t understand much of anything.

    After Ska¡¯dur familiarized himself with his new state, he left the room that housed the Tranquility array. Just as he took his first step into the hallway, a middle-aged female dwarf wearing a blank expression intercepted him. ¡°Sir, your equipment is ready.¡±

    ¡°Lead the way,¡± Ska¡¯dur nodded.

    As the dwarf guided Ska¡¯dur through the interconnected halls, she kept sneaking glances at him, clearly nervous to be in his presence.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Ska¡¯dur took the initiative to lighten the atmosphere upon noticing her anxiety.

    Like a startled rabbit, the woman jumped, faced Ska¡¯dur, and saluted, shouting, ¡°Major General Luca¡¯s aide, Sergeant Major Nonina, at your service, sir!¡±

    Nonina¡¯s voice was so loud that she drew the attention of the other passersby in the hall, causing her face to turn red from embarrassment. Even then, she maintained her serious expression as if she didn¡¯t notice anything.

    Ska¡¯dur coughed, ¡°At ease.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Nonina shouted again, then promptly spun around and resumed leading the way. By now, Ska¡¯dur was too afraid to continue making conversation, so the two walked in silence.

    Eventually, they stopped before a guarded door, with a large sign above saying ¡®Armory¡¯. Nonina swiped a keycard across an array on the wall, and a beep rang out. The thick metal door slid open, and they walked in as it closed behind them. A few restricted doors later, Nonina brought Ska¡¯dur into a room containing a lone table.

    Atop it lay a plethora of items.

    Nonina walked forward and faced Ska¡¯dur. ¡°Sir, Major General Luca said that the military expended a lot of resources and effort to procure the items here for you to use. She hopes they¡¯ll increase your odds of survival.¡±

    ¡°How tactful,¡± Ska¡¯dur gave a wry smile.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say it. Major General Luca did,¡± Nonina explained, trying to draw the line between her and her superior.

    Ska¡¯dur rolled his eyes. ¡°I know.¡±

    Nonina started explaining the different items. ¡°Here are three divine grade Monster Pet Eggs for you to absorb. They dropped from a Mithril Golem, Redflare Elemental, and Slipstream Marlin.¡±

    Ska¡¯dur was visibly astonished. Although his innate gift allowed him to gain abilities from absorbing monster eggs, coming across them was a matter of luck. Till now, he¡¯d acquired a single ancient grade egg.

    ¡°I understand the Mithril Golem and Redlare Elemental, but how will the Slipstream Marlin help me against Torg?¡± Ska¡¯dur voiced his confusion.

    Nonina pointed to the ocean-blue egg. ¡°The Slipstream Marlin¡¯s unique ability allows it to teleport short distances consecutively.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Ska¡¯dur nodded.

    Nonina continued, ¡°Moving on, your equipment: all divine grade, targeted at resisting fire damage. Several innate gifts modified them, making them comparable to celestial grade in exchange for low durability. We¡¯ve prepared three sets.¡±

    Pausing, Nonina carefully picked up a wooden box and opened it. Inside was a pristine vial containing bright orange liquid.

    When Nonina remained silent, Ska¡¯dur asked, ¡°This is?¡±

    Nonina took a deep breath to calm her emotions, then said, ¡°Energy Bloom Tonic, a celestial grade potion.¡±

    ¡°Celestial grade?¡± Ska¡¯dur blinked, the hand caressing his beard freezing.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Nonina confirmed. ¡°Lady Yara said that in the Grandsky Realm, transcendent grade potions don¡¯t exist, and even those belonging to celestial grade are rarely seen. So, be happy to have the honor of drinking it.¡±

    Nonina saw Ska¡¯dur¡¯s expression shift and quickly explained, ¡°Those were Lady Yara¡¯s words, not mine.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Ska¡¯dur nearly choked.

    Nonina closed the box and gently placed it back on the table. Next, she picked up a bracelet and shared, ¡°The last item is a primary War Array. They¡¯ve improved in all aspects compared to when we used them in the Innate Dimension. Just pay attention to your distance from the Skynet tomorrow. Don¡¯t exceed one mile.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± Ska¡¯dur replied.

    Nonina stepped away from the table. ¡°Everything is yours.¡±

    Ska¡¯dur walked up, and as he observed the items, he felt a heavy weight press down on him. He didn¡¯t know how much effort, sweat, blood, and perhaps even lives went into getting these items. All he knew was that by taking them, he needed to risk his life against Torg Igneo.

    And that made his blood boil with excitement.

    Fighting between the thin line of life and death was what fuelled his youth. Now, he could once more relive that feeling.

    With a wave of his hand, Ska¡¯dur put the items into his inventory, his intentions clear.

    Tomorrow, the Innate Nation would formally introduce themselves to the Grandsky Realm. Standing in their way was a single person ¨C Torg Igneo, known by all as one of the three strongest people in the Grandsky Realm. Should they hold him back, it would mean they had the qualifications to enter the battle for ownership of the Realm. If not, then their independence would come to an end.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21

    The sky was a vibrant blue at the intersection between Redpine Rainforest and Mandara Desert, with hardly a cloud in sight. It was early in the morning, and the sound of birds singing came from the nearby Rainforest. The melodious chirping reached the ears of a hundred thousand men and women standing atop the fortifications lining the Skynet.

    These people were currently the strongest of the Innate Nation, each having a level in the late 600s, impressive equipment, and a skill for every situation. They had intensive training, incredible teamwork, and could fight above their level. Their confidence in themselves bordered on arrogance.

    However, not even nature''s joyful sounds could alleviate the intangible weight pressing upon their hearts and minds. It all came from a single person, a single name.

    Torg Igneo.

    Away from everyone else was Ska¡¯dur, who sat cross-legged, eyes closed, with his hands resting upon his knees. The wind caressed his hair, blowing it gently.

    Ska¡¯dur¡¯s armor, given to him the other day, boosted his fire resistance to 60%, and potions raised it further to 76%. In addition, mages cast buffs on Ska¡¯dur, increasing his fire resistance to 81%, among other benefits.

    Since Torg was from the Elemental Dimension and had a fire innate gift, he could deal fire type damage and nothing else. Unfortunately, raising your resistance to 100% was practically impossible, as the System reduced the effectiveness of any boosts the closer you got. 81% was already unheard of for the natives of the Innate Dimension.

    As Ska¡¯dur sat, his muscles constantly twitched and squirmed as he familiarized himself with his increased strength. The buffs, potions, and War Array made him three to four times stronger than he normally was. It was such a drastic change most people would be unable to move properly, much less engage in a fight, without hours to days of acclimation.

    Suddenly, the noise coming from Redpine Rainforest stopped, and everything grew silent. Ska¡¯dur¡¯s eyes opened, and he gazed into the distance, where he found a tinge of red on the horizon. The color spread rapidly, consuming more of the sky every second. Waves of hot air brushed against Ska¡¯dur¡¯s face, and the surrounding temperature rose.

    Ska¡¯dur stood to his feet.

    They were here.

    A small dot quickly enlarged to reveal a winged serpent over a hundred feet long. Torg stood between its curled horns, his shoulder-length hair blowing in the wind. With arms crossed, his ruby-colored eyes scanned the Skynet. Behind him were twenty winged serpents carrying a thousand soldiers wearing black and red armor resembling hardened lava.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    Torg¡¯s mount stopped a few thousand feet from the Skynet. Stepping off its head and into the air, he rubbed his chin, the air warping around him as he walked forward. When Torg distanced himself from his army, he stopped, eyes roaming lazily across the Innate Nation¡¯s soldiers. Eventually, his gaze landed on Ska¡¯dur, and he smiled.

    Below, Ska¡¯dur knew that it was time to perform his role, so he jumped, passing through the Skynet and rising until he reached Torg¡¯s height. After a moment of silence, Ska¡¯dur took a deep breath, then said, ¡°Hello, Lord Igneo. I¡¯m the chosen representative of the Innate Dimension. We apologize for occupying three of your zones and will readily compensate you for any losses. Moving forward-¡±

    ¡°What a farce,¡± Torg interrupted, both amused and irritated. ¡°I traveled all this way to see who was bold enough to confront the Elemental Dimension, and it turned out to be a group of charlatans. Do you think calling yourselves the Innate Dimension gives you legitimacy? I don¡¯t know what hole you or the people behind you crawled out from, and I don¡¯t care. You can go slimeball yourself.¡±

    Torg was about to attack when Ska¡¯dur continued solemnly, ¡°I assure you we are legitimate, and I advise you not to make an enemy out of us.¡±

    ¡°Haha!¡± Flames erupted from Torg as he laughed angrily, ¡°If you want to be a Dimension so badly, why don¡¯t you show me your Dimension Core?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Ska¡¯dur flipped his hand, revealing a translucent circular gem.

    Torg¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets upon seeing the familiar item, and when he cast Inspect on it, his mouth gaped open. ¡°Impossible!¡±

    Caught off-guard, Torg froze. The wording of the Core¡¯s description implied that the Innate Dimension was native to the Grandsky Realm. How was that possible? It had been over 2,000 years since the Elemental, Conceptual, and Sin Dimensions simultaneously arrived in the Grandsky Realm, and no new Dimensions had appeared since then. What was the System thinking by introducing a new Dimension so late into the game?

    Wait¡­

    Torg arrived at a startling deduction.

    Since they were new to the Grandsky Realm, their development couldn¡¯t possibly match the Elemental Dimension, and by extension, the might of himself. To prove his thoughts, Torg cast Inspect on Ska¡¯dur and saw the man was merely level 724.

    Torg¡¯s heart thumped loudly in his chest as he asked Ska¡¯dur, ¡°By showing off a Dimension Core before me with your low level, are you planning on gifting it to me?¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Ska¡¯dur refuted.

    ¡°Then?¡± Torg pressed, barely holding himself back from attacking on the spot. ¡°What intentions do you have?¡±

    Ska¡¯dur gazed into Torg¡¯s eyes, speaking evenly, ¡°For the Innate Dimension to ally with the Elemental Dimension to stand against the Sin Dimension and Tyranus.¡±

    Torg burst into laughter, only to come to an abrupt stop. Narrowing his eyes, he said, ¡°You seem to understand the situation of the Grandsky Realm very well, I¡¯m surprised. Does that mean you know more than my name?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Ska¡¯dur affirmed. ¡°Torg Igneo, level 1,000, and reputed to be one of the three strongest combatants of the Grandsky Realm. Your personality is straightforward, and you crave battle. Schemes and plots are beneath you.¡±

    Torg nodded, acknowledging what Ska¡¯dur said to be true. ¡°If you know all that, then you must have an idea of what I¡¯ll do when waving a Dimension Core in front of me while only having a level of 724.¡±

    The atmosphere suddenly grew heavy, with Torg looking upon Ska¡¯dur as a hunter would his prey. Letting out a breath, Ska¡¯dur cracked his neck and grinned, ¡°You can try.¡±

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Torg glanced over Ska¡¯dur¡¯s equipment and remarked, ¡°it seems you¡¯ve long prepared to face me. What¡¯s your current fire resistance? 70%? 80%?¡±

    ¡°Around that,¡± Ska¡¯dur replied as he activated his innate gift, turning an ability from the Mithril Golem and Redflare Elemental into his own, boosting his fire and magic resistance even further.

    Compared to Ska¡¯dur, who entered his strongest state, Torg was completely and utterly unbuffed. He didn¡¯t have a War Array trinket giving him benefits from his Solar Flare Legion, consumed no elixirs, and had a low quality celestial grade equipment set on.

    While Torg did have a top quality set of celestial equipment and two pieces of transcendent equipment, they remained in his inventory, simply so they didn¡¯t lose durability. No one in the Grandsky Realm could repair transcendent grade equipment, and repairing top quality celestial grade ones was very expensive and time-consuming.

    Just like Ska¡¯dur felt confident in himself, so too did Torg. Facing a level 724, he felt no need to use his best equipment. It was arrogance, plain and true. And it was what gave Ska¡¯dur a fighting chance.

    Steadying his resolve, Ska¡¯dur hunched over, taking the stance of a beast, when Torg said, ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±

    And then, he vanished.

    Silently and without warning, a fist appeared before Ska¡¯dur, followed by the rest of Torg¡¯s body. The fist slammed into Ska¡¯dur¡¯s chest and went through without resistance, though it was clear Torg hit an afterimage when Ska¡¯dur reappeared to Torg¡¯s right, his leg snaking out like a whip, homing in on Torg¡¯s skull.

    Wearing a smile, Torg raised his other hand and was about to latch onto Ska¡¯dur¡¯s ankle when Ska¡¯dur abruptly pulled back, dropped low, and kicked at the side of Torg¡¯s knee. Not panicking in the slightest, Torg raised his leg to parry.

    BOOM!

    An explosive air vacuum formed around them from the clash of their limbs. At the same time, the force behind Torg¡¯s initial punch was so vast it traveled onto the Skynet in the distance, visible ripples spreading across its surface.

    Shock.

    Awe!

    Even though it took a while to describe, Torg and Ska¡¯dur¡¯s movements were so fast that merely a fraction of a second had passed, with the spectators only able to see moving blurs.

    And yet, Torg and Ska¡¯dur¡¯s initial exchange was just the start.

    After a brief pause, their figures vanished, and with the sky as their arena, they clashed repeatedly, each point of contact creating an air vacuum that deafened the ears. Using no skills, they relied entirely upon their physical bodies to compete, every move great enough to shatter mountains.

    BOOM!Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    BOOM!

    BOOM!

    As the minutes passed, Ska¡¯dur felt euphoric. The thrill of battle made his heart race with excitement, and his attacks became fiercer as he let a primal desire for violence overcome him.

    Opposite him, Torg was the same. A manic light in his eyes revealed that, like Ska¡¯dur, he was enjoying their clash. However, he was beginning to grow disappointed. The power Ska¡¯dur unleashed wasn¡¯t enough to threaten Torg¡¯s life.

    And so, the next time their fists met, Torg roared, ¡°Is this all you have? You can¡¯t beat me like this. Hit me harder! Harder! HARDER!¡±

    Provoked by Torg, Ska¡¯dur entered a deeper resonance with his innate gift, transforming him. His canines grew longer, his nails sharper, and his muscles more robust.

    When Ska¡¯dur¡¯s body doubled in size, he jabbed two fingers at Torg¡¯s eyes. Unworried, Torg¡¯s hand latched onto Ska¡¯dur¡¯s wrist with extreme precision and stopped it, but the threat remained as the nails on Ska¡¯dur¡¯s fingers extended, nearing Torg¡¯s pupils in a flash.

    Caught off guard, Torg bent backward, avoiding the blow and putting himself in an awkward position. With bestial instincts driving Ska¡¯dur¡¯s actions, he used the hand Torg grabbed as a fulcrum to spin around and, in one smooth motion, drove his knee into Torg¡¯s temple.

    BANG!

    The successful strike raddled Torg¡¯s brain and left him dazed, with his hand releasing its hold on Ska¡¯dur¡¯s leg. Now freed, and with Torg momentarily stunned, his vision white, Ska¡¯dur¡¯s massive palm gripped Torg¡¯s face and threw him directly toward the ground.

    WOOSH!

    Torg shot down like a missile, hitting the peak of a small mountain and piercing it down to its base. The mountain collapsed as dust, fragments of rock, and broken trees flew everywhere.

    Ska¡¯dur¡¯s pupils, now appearing as slits, ignored the veil of dust and locked onto Torg hidden below. Leaning forward, Ska¡¯dur kicked the air as if it were solid ground and disappeared. With physical speed so fast it bordered on teleportation, Ska¡¯dur appeared above Torg¡¯s collapsed body and delivered a roundhouse kick to his chest.

    ¡°Gah!¡± Torg grunted and coughed up a mouthful of blood as his limbs rose above him. Under Ska¡¯dur¡¯s intricate control, the force of his kick spread evenly throughout Torg¡¯s body, barely any extending outward. Even so, cracks spread for hundreds of feet through the ground just from the residual energy that escaped.

    In two moves, Ska¡¯dur had flattened a small mountain like it was nothing. That was the level of power he attained with all his external buffs on top of his foundation. It was an unprecedented strength that showed a glimpse of the means those reaching the peak of power had in the Grandsky Realm.

    And yet, as Ska¡¯dur towered over Torg, a foot on the latter¡¯s chest, Torg locked eyes with Ska¡¯dur and, with blood on his lips, laughed, ¡°Is that it? Is that all the strength you can muster when you get serious?¡±

    Ska¡¯dur¡¯s expression was stern as he looked down at Torg, the man who took two full-powered attacks that could bring the life of a level 800 mythic monster from 100% to 0% and merely spat out some blood.

    A mere flesh wound!

    Noticing this, Ska¡¯dur growled, his voice rumbling. ¡°I¡¯m just warming up.¡±

    ¡°Haha, good! You better not be boasting,¡± Torg wiped away the blood trickling down his chin and was visibly excited. ¡°I think highly of you, so let me give you a word of advice. For what happens next, don¡¯t lose focus for even a second, or you¡¯ll lose your life¡­ because I have been, and always will be¡­ a mage.¡±

    When Torg finished speaking, Ska¡¯dur¡¯s instincts warned him of imminent danger, and he jumped away just in time to avoid the white flames that erupted from Torg¡¯s body. Utterly pristine and beautiful, the white flames instantly melted the rock around Torg into liquid lava that submerged his body.

    Now over a hundred feet away, Ska¡¯dur grunted when a wave of scalding hot air washed over him, making him feel stifled and uncomfortable like he was in a sauna unsuitable for human life. Retreating into the sky, he watched, amazed, as everything within several hundred feet of where Torg landed melted into lava.

    Ska¡¯dur carefully recalled Yara¡¯s explanation about the Elemental Dimension and realized that the vast destruction Torg created was not from a mythic grade skill or something higher. It was simply from the release of the fire element he was born with, the base usage of his innate gift. An innate gift that had reached the peak of the Grandsky Realm!

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23

    Since the System had effectively locked the natives of the Elemental Dimension to a single element, it compensated their innate gift with an additional ability.

    (Elemental Freeform Style)

    Description: All attacks involving your innate element will automatically behave as if you used a skill, with the grade depending on the complexity of the move and the understanding of your element.

    Ska¡¯dur kept the ability Elemental Freeform Style in mind as he observed the lava lake below, feeling pressured by how high Torg¡¯s base stats were. Although Ska¡¯dur hadn¡¯t used any skills, the attacks he landed had only chipped away a few percentages of Torg¡¯s health, and he doubted he¡¯d be able to damage Torg if he didn¡¯t have the War Array trinket boosting him.

    While Ska¡¯dur was brooding, the lava lake erupted as Torg rose, white flames rolling off his skin and warping the space around him. Grinning, Torg spoke, ¡°Your outburst earlier surprised me, and now I wish you were level 1,000 so we could fight to our heart''s content.¡±

    ¡°Hm,¡± Ska¡¯dur grunted, shifting his stance.

    There was a brief silence as Ska¡¯dur and Torg stared at each other, scrutinizing their opponent, until Torg pointed a finger and said, ¡°Fireball.¡±

    Unlike the Fireballs Ska¡¯dur was familiar with, this one instantly struck his shoulder and exploded, dealing a few thousand damage before Ska¡¯dur could react.

    Even though Ska¡¯dur¡¯s high fire resistance defended him well, his expression turned grim. Judging by the speed and explosive force, Torg had elevated a skill commonly used by novice mages into a deadly weapon, from a rare grade skill into something beyond mythic. What if he used higher grade skills instead?

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Torg remarked. ¡°Again.¡±

    When another Fireball emerged, Ska¡¯dur acted instinctively and changed a few of his monster traits, switching from ones focused on strength to agility and reaction speed. His increased perception allowed him to observe the incoming Fireball split into a dozen equally powerful ones. However, having already adapted, Ska¡¯dur calmly stepped forward and twisted his body to avoid them by a narrow margin.

    ¡°Good. Again,¡± Torg repeated, wondering where Ska¡¯dur¡¯s limits lay.

    At Torg¡¯s command, another Fireball appeared and split into 32, some moving faster than others. Irked by Torg¡¯s comments, Ska¡¯dur advanced while expertly dodging the next wave, yet Torg shot out more with every step he took.

    48.

    64.

    86.

    102.

    All the Fireballs Ska¡¯dur avoided flew into the distance and ravaged the landscape, each one creating holes over thirty feet wide and melting everything within to form pits of lava.

    At some point, the volleys turned into an endless barrage, and under Torg¡¯s control, the Fireballs weaved through the air in arcs, approaching Ska¡¯dur from multiple directions. Even then, Ska¡¯dur drew ever closer, slapping away whatever Fireballs he couldn¡¯t avoid.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    When Ska¡¯dur forced his way into striking range, Torg¡¯s hand that pointed forward shifted into a palm, followed by a word, ¡°Flamethrower.¡±

    WOOSH!

    A massive wave of white flames spewed out from Torg¡¯s palm. As it washed over Ska¡¯dur, Ska¡¯dur utilized the Slipstream Marlin¡¯s ability to teleport a short distance, instantly arriving behind Torg, a punch backed by a Life Energy empowered skill already in motion.

    Piledriver!

    Alarmed by the Life Energy contained within Ska¡¯dur¡¯s attack, Torg conjured a Mana Barrier just as Ska¡¯dur¡¯s fist burrowed into his back.

    CRACK!

    The penetrative quality of Piledriver successfully broke through Torg¡¯s Mana Barrier and sent him flying uncontrollably, with Ska¡¯dur planning to give chase until he noticed white flames spreading up his arm and across his entire body. The heat emanating from the flames was too much for Ska¡¯dur¡¯s armor, and they started melting on the spot.

    Thinking quickly, Ska¡¯dur utilized Mana Manipulation to create a layer of mana over his body, where he then mimicked a snake shedding its skin to remove the glue-like flames. His idea was successful as he detached the layer of mana and tossed it away, all the flames stuck to the mana instead of Ska¡¯dur¡¯s body.

    While Ska¡¯dur dealt with the flames, Torg recovered from Ska¡¯dur¡¯s attack, and there was now a considerable distance between them. Instead of resuming the fight, Torg glanced at the falling ball of flaming mana before focusing on Ska¡¯dur, saying, ¡°Impressive, you¡¯re the fastest person to find a solution to that move. I¡¯m surprised.¡±

    Ska¡¯dur furrowed his brow, remaining silent. For a while now, Torg¡¯s attitude had been irritating him. It was like Torg was sparring with a junior, what with him starting with Fireball and Flamethrower, both mediocre skills. He also constantly wanted to converse.

    Enough was enough.

    The Innate Nation had too much on the line for Ska¡¯dur to treat this fight frivolously, so he decided to unleash a power Torg couldn¡¯t ignore. Taking out a laminated box from his inventory and opening it, Ska¡¯dur plucked the celestial grade Energy Bloom Tonic from inside, popped the topper, and poured its contents down his throat. He ignored its sweet, fruity taste and recalled its information.

    (Celestial, Potion) Energy Bloom Tonic

    Description: For ten minutes, you will re-absorb 90% of any consumed energy.

    Mana.

    Everyone dreamed of defeating an enemy by overwhelming them with skills, though hardly anyone could make their dreams a reality. Mages, in particular, had to stay mindful of their mana reserves during a fight. They weren¡¯t like warriors who could rely on their base stats to ensure victory once resources ran dry.

    That¡¯s where the Energy Bloom Tonic came into play, effectively boosting a person¡¯s mana reserves multiple times. And that wasn¡¯t all. The benefits were far greater for someone like Ska¡¯dur, who had Life Energy.

    Ska¡¯dur possessed the transcendent grade Mana Body, which boosted skills by one grade, and he had Life Energy to empower their modifiers. By combining both, he could raise any skill by two or more grades, depending on how much Life Energy he spent. With the potion, he no longer needed to save his Life Energy for emergencies.

    To start, Ska¡¯dur did something he only did once during peacetime as an experiment. He consumed 100% of his remaining Life Energy to boost not a skill, but his body.

    BOOM!

    The moment Ska¡¯dur willed it, yellow energy erupted from him in obscene amounts. It towered high into the sky, breaking apart the clouds above and flattening the trees on the ground below. Feeling the overwhelming power surging through his very veins, Ska¡¯dur unleashed a hearty roar, his voice echoing across the battlefield.

    Due to an infusion of Life Energy, your primary stats are increased by 150% for 5 minutes. Afterward, temporarily gain the status effects ¡®Fatigued¡¯ and ¡®Weakened¡¯ for three hours.

    On top of the external buffs and War Array trinket, Ska¡¯dur gained an additional 150% to his primary stats, skyrocketing his power to levels he couldn¡¯t control. Furthermore, he regenerated 90% of the Life Energy he just consumed, allowing him to do many things.

    From afar, Torg observed the billowing yellow energy surrounding Ska¡¯dur, never for a moment thinking that it came from a transcendent grade skill. If he knew, he wouldn¡¯t give Ska¡¯dur a few moments to adjust to his new condition.

    While Torg watched, Ska¡¯dur forcibly brought the pillar of Life Energy under his will, converging it until it remained a few feet from his body. Flicking like fire, the Life Energy encompassed Ska¡¯dur, bathing him in a yellow hue.

    Ska¡¯dur understood he was now racing against the clock, and so in the next five minutes, with every fiber of his being, he was going to unleash everything he had.

    It was time to go wild.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24

    Torg¡¯s pupils dilated when Ska¡¯dur abruptly appeared a few feet away, his speed almost beyond what Torg could react to. Moving faster than lightning, Ska¡¯dur clenched his fist and punched forward, a white glow surrounding his arm.

    Upheaval!

    A cone-shaped area attack empowered by 30% of Ska¡¯dur¡¯s remaining Life Energy came at Torg, who watched in shock as black cracks spread wherever the force released from Ska¡¯dur¡¯s fist reached.

    Not good!

    Torg¡¯s instincts warned of imminent danger.

    Acting decisively, he teleported forward and materialized behind Ska¡¯dur to avoid the fallout, but before he could relax, Ska¡¯dur spun around and swept with his leg.

    Biting Fang!

    Physical force manifested itself in the shape of a crescent moon and detached from Ska¡¯dur¡¯s leg, cleaving through the sky and leaving a black rift in its wake. Space shuddered as Torg utilized one of his remaining teleport charges, yet Ska¡¯dur¡¯s speed was so overwhelmingly fast that he had already made his next attack.

    Dire Stab!

    Ska¡¯dur thrust two fingers forward, and ignoring the distance between them, the force generated from the attack pierced through Torg¡¯s Mana Barrier and torso, creating a small hole and dealing 5% of Torg¡¯s health.

    ¡°Splendid!¡± Torg shouted with fervor, the pain invigorating him.

    Ska¡¯dur¡¯s current physical prowess reminded him of the sin of Wrath, his greatest rival. Brawlers that reached a certain level like Wrath were always troublesome foes for mages, and it used to be the same for Torg.

    Not anymore.

    In response to Ska¡¯dur attaining a height that neared Wrath, Torg spread his arms and activated one of his most powerful skills, uttering, ¡°Infernal Blaze Embodiment.¡±

    Wearing a smile, white flames poured out from Torg¡¯s eyes, nose, mouth, and pores, spreading hundreds of feet. A pulse from Torg called out to them, and at his beckoning, the flames returned to their source.

    They infused into Torg¡¯s skin, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and bones, transforming them into a form of energy. Ska¡¯dur watched in mute shock as a humanoid elemental bearing Torg¡¯s features and wearing flaming robes appeared in all its glory. He was mesmerized by the way the flames coursed underneath Torg¡¯s skin, flowing thick and heavy like mercury. It was like a star took human form and felt cosmic in origin.

    Undaunted, Ska¡¯dur pressed forward, a brown hue covering his body as he activated a powerful skill.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Heroic Descent!

    Instead of summoning a meteor with the Small Meteor skill, Ska¡¯dur became the meteor itself. His figure tore through the sky, leaving behind black cracks as the faint image of a boulder covered him.

    In the face of Ska¡¯dur¡¯s attack, Torg remained motionless.

    Without any suspense, Ska¡¯dur tore through Torg, blasting his body into countless pieces. Even then, Ska¡¯dur knew Torg wouldn¡¯t die so easily. Turning around, he watched as thousands of flames came together to reform Torg in perfect condition.

    Ska¡¯dur¡¯s expression turned grim at the sight.

    Somehow, Torg had gained the property of a rare type of monster, becoming an energy-based entity. For Ska¡¯dur, who primarily used physical attacks, this was the worst-case scenario.

    Torg faced Ska¡¯dur, his expression prideful, and waved his hand, saying, ¡°Ignition Chains.¡±

    At his command, numerous flames taking the shape of linked chains spewed out from Torg¡¯s body, fanning out in all directions as they honed in on Ska¡¯dur, who moved to evade.

    Unwilling to retreat, Ska¡¯dur released consecutive attacks as he dodged the chains threatening to restrain him, regretting that he hadn¡¯t stored any magical weapons in his inventory.

    Currently, the only method he could think of to attain victory was to draw out the fight, guessing that the Inferno Blaze Embodiment skill consumed tremendous amounts of Torg''s mana to keep active. Unfortunately, Ska¡¯dur would enter a weakened state in four minutes, preventing him from utilizing this tactic.

    All the while, the fight carried on, with Torg relying heavily on his Inferno Blaze Embodiment to withstand the dozens of Life Energy empowered attacks that Ska¡¯dur landed.

    The entire time, Torg controlled his Ignition Chains patiently, ignoring the negligible amount of damage he took as Ska¡¯dur slowly ran out of stamina.

    Eventually, the fated moment arrived, and a dreadful sense of weakness overcame Ska¡¯dur, the vibrant Life Energy encompassing his body dissipating. Now unable to avoid the Ignition Chains, they successfully wrapped around his limbs and pulled tight. Locked in place, the chains slowly melted his armor, causing drops of molten liquid to run across his skin. They also prevented him from teleporting.

    With Ska¡¯dur caught, Torg floated over, commenting, ¡°A valiant effort.¡±

    Ska¡¯dur endured the pain from the chains, his expression stern as he asked, ¡°How much of your strength did you use?¡±

    Appreciative of Ska¡¯dur¡¯s talent, Torg shared the truth, ¡°Less than 50%.¡±

    ¡°No wonder,¡± Ska¡¯dur sighed.

    During the entire fight, he felt like Torg was in complete control. However, he wasn¡¯t depressed at all that there was such a big gap between them, because he knew he had only been in the Grandsky Realm for less than a year. He was confident that, with time, he could surpass Torg.

    ¡°Should I say you overestimated yourself?¡± Torg remarked, curious as to why Ska¡¯dur was so nonchalant at his defeat.

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Ska¡¯dur chuckled, his sweat evaporating from the heat.

    What Torg didn¡¯t know was that while it was true he caught Ska¡¯dur, he did so at the location and angle Ska¡¯dur wanted. Behind Ska¡¯dur was the Skynet and the others from the Innate Nation, and from Torg¡¯s position, he didn¡¯t see Ska¡¯dur use Mana Manipulation to form a countdown made of mana near his back.

    10¡­

    9¡­

    8¡­

    7¡­

    6¡­

    5¡­

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll make it qui-¡° Torg had begun speaking, intending to finish Ska¡¯dur off, when Ska¡¯dur¡¯s limbs suddenly gained the property of a slime monster, giving him the opportunity to slide out of their grasp. Now free, he quickly teleported to the side right as his counter reached zero.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Torg only saw a blinding light before a thick beam of unbelievably concentrated mana accompanied by a deep hum went through his body and into the distance. A black crack followed in its wake, so wide and destructive, that it forcibly sucked in a majority of Torg¡¯s energy-based body, whisking it away to who knows where.

    The beam vanished just as fast as it arrived, yet the changes it brought were miraculous. The Solare Flare Legion went wide-eyed, spotting Torg floating near a shrinking crack with only a head and half his neck remaining, unsure of whether he was dead or alive.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25

    Ska¡¯dur floated near an unconscious Torg with his heart racing in his chest. He didn¡¯t expect the Laegur Beam Cannon Yara told him about to be so lethal. Had he been just a bit slower, he would¡¯ve been a goner.

    Ska¡¯dur wanted to check on Torg when a commotion in the distance drew his attention.

    Many from the Solar Flare Legion exclaimed in shock and horror at their leader''s condition. The commanders flew out, shouting anxiously, ¡°Lord Igneo!¡±

    Ska¡¯dur glanced at Torg. Even though he still had enough energy to wipe out Torg¡¯s remaining health, he retreated, leaving Torg behind.

    The reason was simple.

    Killing Torg would result in an all-out war with the Elemental Nation.

    Besides Torg, there were still three others with similar strength who ruled over the Elemental Nation, not to mention their developed armies with centuries of experience. The Innate Nation simply couldn¡¯t face a united Elemental Nation. They were currently too weak to handle the consequences.

    At the same time, Markus flew out from the Skynet, nodding to Ska¡¯dur as he passed, ¡°Good job. Leave the rest to me.¡±

    Markus came to a halt a safe distance from Torg, where a dozen commanders from the Solar Flare Legion hovered, their expressions grim.

    ¡°He¡¯s still alive,¡± one said with relief.

    ¡°Not for long,¡± another analyzed. ¡°When he runs out of mana, his Inferno Blaze Embodiment will deactivate, and he¡¯ll die from blood loss with so many organs missing.¡±

    While the commanders discussed, the rest of the Solar Flare Legion flew over and encircled Torg, defending him from any potential threats. They listened to their commander¡¯s conversation, a sense of despair gripping them.

    All of them shared the same thought.

    If Torg died, there wouldn¡¯t be a strong enough deterrence to hold Monster King Tyranus at bay. Among the other three rulers, one focused on defense, and another on support. Without Torg¡¯s attack power, Tyranus could run amok within their territories, causing untold amounts of damage.

    One of the commanders, a middle-aged man, suddenly called out, ¡°Squads twenty through twenty-five, approach and use Life Sacrifice on Lord Igneo.¡±

    Life Sacrifice was a skill that originated from the Sin Dimension. It could transfer health from one person to another, albeit at a highly inefficient ratio.

    At the commander¡¯s order, dozens of soldiers neared and activated Life Sacrifice, motes of flickering light flying out from their bodies and sinking into Torg¡¯s head. The commanders relaxed when they saw Torg¡¯s energy body start regenerating.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    By the time Torg¡¯s torso had regrown, the five squads who supplied him health were on the verge of collapsing, their skin unnaturally pale.

    The middle-aged commander waved his hand, ¡°Enough. Squads twenty-six through thirty, take their place and continue.¡±

    Halfway through the healing process, Torg¡¯s Inferno Blaze Embodiment deactivated, and his body returned to flesh and blood. At that point, he was only missing parts of his limbs, so his life wasn¡¯t in any danger. After another minute, Torg was back to normal.

    Moments later, Torg¡¯s eyelids fluttered before snapping open.

    Confused, he looked around.

    It wasn¡¯t until he spotted the Skynet in the distance that he sobered up.

    Turning to his trusted subordinates, he inquired, ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Sir,¡± the middle-aged man explained, ¡°a beam of mana moving at the speed of light and capable of breaking apart space passed through your body, leaving you with only your head. We used Life Sacrifice to heal you up. As for the origin of the attack, it came from the ramparts behind that giant array.¡±

    Torg looked towards the Skynet, struggling to process that he had nearly died. Earlier, Ska¡¯dur had blocked his vision and gave him no time to react. He saw a flashing light, and then that was it.

    An attack that broke apart space wasn¡¯t concerning. He and many others could do it too. What mattered was the beam¡¯s speed and attack range. More importantly, how could the Innate Dimension have someone capable of using an attack that neared the pinnacle of the Grandsky Realm when they had just entered it a year ago?

    Torg temporarily put the matter aside and inspected his status, where he saw something that caused his face to turn pale white and shivers to run down his spine.

    His mana gauge was empty.

    Putting on an act of confidence, he scanned the horizon, searching some something as a memory surfaced.

    Centuries ago, when Elaine went missing, Torg fought his way into the Conceptual Dimension and was on the verge of victory when Tyranus appeared at the crucial moment, killing the leaders of the Conceptual Dimension when they were on their last stand.

    On that day, Torg learned that Tyranus specialized in assassinations.

    Furthermore, being a transcendent grade monster gave Tyranus unprecedented freedom, allowing it to traverse the Grandsky Realm as it pleased. Unlike monsters of lower grades, it didn¡¯t fight to the death when spotting humans, orcs, demons, elves, or dwarves. It could retreat when the situation turned disadvantageous.

    Since then, Tyranus had already made several attempts on Torg¡¯s life, attacking when Torg least expected it.

    That was why he found himself afraid.

    Without mana, he was akin to a tiger without fangs or teeth.

    He was defenseless.

    It didn¡¯t matter that the Solar Flame Legion surrounded him, or that he was in the hinterlands of the Elemental Nation. Tyranus could be here, right now, watching him, weighing its options.

    No.

    He needed to leave.

    But first, he turned to Markus, who waited in the distance. Considering briefly, he started, ¡°You said you wanted to ally with the Elemental Nation?¡±

    Markus nodded. ¡°That is our intention.¡±

    ¡°Fine. You¡¯ve proven yourselves,¡± Torg thought of many things as he continued, ¡°I¡¯ll send a delegate to negotiate the exact details of our alliance tomorrow.¡±

    Without discussing further, Torg flew off, accompanied by his legion.

    Torg was thankful the Solar Flare Legion setup a series of teleportation arrays along their way over here, and returning to the safety of the Fourgleam barrier would take a few minutes at most. He¡¯d stay inside until he recovered his mana, and considering his mana pool, it¡¯d take almost a week.

    As for the Innate Nation, he would stay true to his word.

    The armies of the Elemental Nation were weary after fighting Tyranus¡¯s forces for so long, and with the Sin Dimension harassing them constantly, they had no room to breathe. Torg planned to discuss with his peers and have the Innate Nation share their burden and even the playing field.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26

    Once Markus could no longer see the Solar Flare Legion, he returned to the Skynet and passed through its barrier. Landing atop the fortress¡¯ ramparts, he looked toward the Laegur Beam Cannon. It was a massive metal construct spanning over thirty feet long with its barrel covered by arrays. Attached to the base frame were three Mana Reactors.

    Frisk stood nearby, inspecting the cracks that ran across its surface. It had suffered damage from the colossal amount of condensed mana coursing through it when it fired earlier.

    Ignoring Frisk, Markus made his way inside the ramparts through an opening in the floor. He walked through several corridors and entered the surveillance room guarded by two soldiers. Amongst those inside was Yara, arms crossed against her chest. She leaned from side to side, seemingly anxious.

    Markus walked up and repeated what Torg said, then inquired, ¡°Do you believe him?¡±

    ¡°If he hasn¡¯t changed, he shouldn¡¯t be lying,¡± Yara replied, pushing aside a strand of hair blocking her vision.

    Markus hummed. ¡°I hope so. We don¡¯t really have many options.¡±

    ¡­

    Keith stood on the ramparts some distance from Frisk, deep in thought. He had watched Torg closely during the battle and scrutinized his every move. Torg represented the ceiling of combat strength in the Grandsky Realm, and with him being a mage, he was a good person to reference where Keith¡¯s current power stood in the grand scheme of things.

    Obviously, Torg was much stronger than Keith.

    At least currently.

    Out of the whole fight, Keith was very interested in Torg¡¯s Inferno Blaze Embodiment, and seeing it in action gave him a strong urge to create a skill of his own.

    Inspired by Torg, Keith started thinking about Mana Manipulation and what he¡¯d learned about arrays over the past few months. He then recalled the Lauger Beam array Frisk showed him and the potential of casting skills through arrays.

    Keith grew more excited the more he thought about it.

    While he didn¡¯t know much about the process, he knew just who to ask. Pulling out his magic tablet, Keith sent his Aunt a few questions.

    After that, Keith returned to Frisk¡¯s side as his assistant.

    Besides Keith, Frisk had a team of mechanics, engineers, and metalsmiths at his beck and call, and under Frisk¡¯s lead, they dismantled the Laegur Beam Cannon on the spot, separating it into over a hundred pieces.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit worse than I expected,¡± Frisk muttered.

    At his feet were dozens of damaged components. The arrays were in poor condition, with some runes missing parts of their structure, and the metal had partially melted.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Next to Frisk, a female dwarf fiddled with one of the components and remarked with surprise, ¡°The alloy we used is already the toughest we can make, yet a single shot took out 40% of its durability. I doubt the Laegur Beam Cannon could fire again without imploding.¡±

    ¡°Hmph,¡± A handsome elf pushed up his glasses, saying, ¡°I told you we should¡¯ve made an alloy focused on mana conductivity.¡±

    At his comment, the few metalsmiths promptly descended into an argument, each pushing their viewpoint. Frisk stood in the middle as they bickered around him. Making alloys wasn¡¯t his specialty, so he listened without saying a word.

    After a minute, he put the discussion to a halt with the raise of a hand. Everyone turned to look at him. Coughing lightly, he said, ¡°The Laegur Beam Cannon V1 is a rushed product. Before, we didn''t have time to test which alloy worked the best, but now we do. I want a compatible alloy produced as soon as possible.¡±

    An engineer brought up their concerns, ¡°What about the budget?¡±

    ¡°Unlimited,¡± Frisk answered, eliciting smiles from everyone.

    Hours later, Keith walked in through the front door of his house and grabbed a premade meal from the kitchen. Sitting at the table, he laid his magic tablet beside his plate. He was so busy earlier that he hadn¡¯t had the time to see his Aunt¡¯s reply until now. Anticipation building, Keith read her message in between mouthfuls of food.

    By the time he finished, he had a thoughtful expression.

    It turned out that creating a skill was a limited opportunity. According to Serilla, you could create a skill with the System¡¯s assistance a single time, with further opportunities requiring certain achievements. As for which ones, she didn¡¯t know.

    She explained that per the System¡¯s requirements, you must be responsible for at least 40% of the skill¡¯s creation. You could reach the 40% threshold with knowledge, prerequisite skills, or a concept. The System would fill in the blanks.

    For Serilla¡¯s Void Shadowstep, she took the concept of shadows as a base and leveled various defensive skills to narrowly meet the threshold.

    ¡°Huh,¡± Keith leaned back in his chair, a glimmer in his eyes.

    What he envisioned depended heavily on his understanding of arrays and mana, which he had studied intensely for months. In addition, the few skills he wanted to incorporate into the self-created skill were already beyond level 500.

    In that case, wasn¡¯t the 40% threshold easily reached?

    There was only one way to find out.

    ¡°System, hi, how are you? I want to create a skill,¡± Keith voiced out, feeling somewhat awkward.

    A second went by before a notification appeared.

    You currently have one skill creation opportunity.

    Would you like to begin the skill creation process?

    ¡°Yes,¡± Keith spoke aloud, finding it surreal to interact with the System in real-time.

    A moment later, a large screen popped up containing multiple empty sections he had to fill out with information. The first section needed Keith to list what effects the skill he wanted to create would have. It warned that the difficulty of creating the skill would increase depending on what he included.

    Keith spent some time writing out the details. After that, he moved on to the next section, where it showed his contribution to the skill¡¯s creation ¨C currently 0%.

    Below, the System said it could scan his mind with his permission to see if he possessed whatever was needed to increase his contribution.

    ¡°That¡¯s vague,¡± Keith shrugged, then gave his approval. He wasn¡¯t afraid that the System would harm him.

    Looking around, he wondered what the System would do when his contribution percentage abruptly ticked upward.

    5%...

    10%...

    30%...

    78%...

    Hovering around 80%, it finally stopped at 81%.

    Keith whooped in delight as a notification appeared.

    Contribution threshold reached.

    Confirm skill creation?

    ¡°Yes!¡± Keith nearly shouted.

    In the next moment, Keith jumped to his feet, alarmed by the sudden movement of mana in his chest. Thanks to his Mana Manipulation skill, Keith saw a new array form next to all his other skills. Unlike how Frisk or anyone else formed arrays, the process was magical. It was almost like a pair of invisible hands were fluidly weaving countless strings together.

    From start to finish, it took less than a second.

    Two notifications appeared soon after.

    Congratulations! You have created the Quickdraw skill!

    Congratulations! You have acquired the Novice Skillcrafter title.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27

    Title: Novice Skillcrafter

    Description: Increases primary stats by 5%.

    The title was a pleasant surprise.

    Keith noted that its description included the word ¡®primary,¡¯ something he¡¯d seen in many other places, making him wonder whether there were other types of stats. It was exciting to think about.

    The next notification informed Keith about his new skill.

    (Legacy skill) Quickdraw

    Description: Consume mana to engrave an array in your mind. You can instantly conjure copies of engraved arrays without drawing them manually. Mana cost, mental stamina consumed, and maximum quantity of arrays engraved depend on skill level.

    Remark 1: The distance you can summon copied arrays from your location varies based on your Mana Manipulation and Rune Imprinting skills.

    Remark 2: The mental burden to engrave, conjure, and maintain an array depends on its complexity.

    Remark 3: You can teach other people this skill.

    ¡°It¡¯s perfect,¡± Keith clenched his fists.

    When Keith saw the power of the Laegur Beam array, he knew that using arrays to fight was a feasible idea. There were only two problems. First, it took time to draw an array, and second, you couldn¡¯t afford any distractions. A monster wouldn¡¯t sit still and wait. It would harass and interrupt your drawing process.

    Quickdraw solved both these problems.

    With Quickdraw now a part of Keith¡¯s arsenal, he raised a finger and drew the Laegur Beam array. It took a minute. After that, he activated Quickdraw, focusing on the floating array.

    Whoosh.

    There was a gust of wind as the Laegur Beam array shrunk into a small dot that flew into Keith¡¯s forehead, engraving itself in his mind. At that moment, Keith felt a space open up in his consciousness. Closing his eyes and focusing, he found the Laegur Beam array. In this unique space, his thoughts were omniscient, allowing him to view the array at any angle or distance. Zooming in, he saw every rune with impeccable clarity.

    Even when Keith opened his eyes, he could still sense the Laegur Beam array in his mind. He shook his head and muttered, ¡°How spectacular¡­¡±

    Keith¡¯s consciousness, something abstruse and intangible, had gained a new capability.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    It made him think.

    What other magical things could the mind do?

    While nobody in the Innate Nation understood much about consciousness, Keith had a gut feeling there was much to discover. For example, there was a mental burden when drawing arrays, but no value corresponded to mental endurance like stamina, health, or mana.

    What was up with that?

    Furthermore, Keith constantly wondered about the difference between his mana and the mana ambient in the world. Why could he control one and not the other? What was the mechanism that converted ambient mana to his mana? And why did Keith¡¯s Mana Body increase his resistance to Mana Sickness?

    Not even Frisk knew the answers to Keith¡¯s questions.

    He had asked.

    Regardless, Keith wasn¡¯t frustrated by the lack of knowledge.

    Instead, it invigorated him.

    Only when there was something to pursue did Keith truly feel alive.

    Putting these mysteries aside, Keith walked out the back door onto the small dock connected to the lake. Once he ensured no one was underwater or in the surroundings, he activated Quickdraw.

    The space before Keith flickered, and a fully formed Laegur Beam array manifested almost instantly. Satisfied with the speed, he tried to quantify the mental burden it took to conjure it. He vaguely felt there was no problem to summon dozens of Laegur Beam arrays.

    Next, Keith activated Mind Enhancement and conjured another Laegur Beam array through Quickdraw. He found that the boost significantly reduced his mental burden.

    Following further tests, Keith discovered he could use Quickdraw to conjure arrays within a hundred feet of his location. Any further than that, he couldn¡¯t maintain the connection to his mana, causing the array to collapse.

    Keith sat down on the side of the dock, feet hanging over the edge as he wrote down all the parameters of Quickdraw in his magic tablet. Overall, he was very happy with the skill, especially how many times he could conjure copies of engraved arrays.

    Now, Keith simply lacked arrays to engrave in his mind.

    Although the Laegur Beam array was powerful, it took over a hundred thousand mana to activate every time. He needed other types of arrays to use in different situations.

    Unfortunately, while Keith was making great progress in his array studies, he couldn¡¯t yet create anything close to the capabilities of the Laegur Beam array. It was better to rely on skills than any array he could make.

    Keith planned to ask Frisk for help when he had some downtime. Right now, the man was working on improving the Laegur Beam Cannon, and it would be irresponsible for Keith to interrupt such an important job.

    As for the delegate from the Elemental Nation arriving tomorrow, Keith tried not to think about it. He trusted that Markus, Ska¡¯dur, and everyone else would make the correct decisions.

    It wasn¡¯t that Keith didn¡¯t care.

    He simply didn¡¯t have the ability to make an impact.

    Keith would rather spend his time getting stronger instead of growing anxious from factors outside his control.

    And that was what he planned to do.

    Heading to bed a few hours earlier than usual, Keith awoke before sunrise and set off for Mandara Desert on his Dire Desert Eagle. Passing by the area where he killed Orcus, Keith pushed deeper east, wiping out any monsters he encountered. He noted that the monster¡¯s levels increased the further he went, nearing level 700 and eventually above it.

    By the time the sun peeked over the horizon, Keith had arrived at the border of Mandara Desert and a new zone. There was a clear dividing line, where on one side lay the desert and a wall of fog on the other.

    Keith wrinkled his nose, smelling a putrid stench in the air.

    Sensing something, Keith looked down and saw the hairs on his arms curl and wither away. Getting goosebumps, he touched his head and pulled off a clump of hair. Keith¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°There¡¯s poison!¡±

    As if his life was on the line, Keith hurriedly withdrew a mythic grade antidote potion from his inventory and swallowed its contents. At the same time, he opened his status and saw his falling health stabilize.

    Even then, fear gripped his heart.

    Slowly pulling out a mirror, he looked at the top of his head and sighed in relief after he saw that everything was still there.

    ¡°That was close,¡± Keith muttered as a breeze blew past, bringing the rest of his hair with it. He froze, dazed by the reflection in the mirror. Unwilling to believe what he saw, he ran a hand across his scalp, finding nothing.

    All his hair was missing.

    Gone in the wind.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28

    Taking calming breaths, Keith mustered his courage and glanced at his reflection again to see a foreign, unfamiliar face staring back. The hairstyle he meticulously maintained every morning was no more.

    ¡°I¡¯m a baldy now,¡± Keith muttered, feeling aggrieved and insecure, the confidence in his appearance plummeting. Thankfully, there wasn¡¯t anyone around, or he¡¯d want to find a hole to hide in.

    It took Keith a few minutes to accept reality.

    Sighing, he focused back on the wall of fog, wondering what the name of this zone was. Before heading in, he mentally communicated with his mount and told it to fly higher.

    After climbing hundreds of feet, Keith looked into the distance and saw a sea of fog covering the entire zone. From time to time, the canopies of massive trees poked out. There was nothing noteworthy other than that.

    Keith landed on the ground and unsummoned his mount. He stood in front of the wall of fog and tried to peer through it to no avail. It was especially thick. Walking forward, he observed the fog retreat in tandem, keeping a distance of fifteen feet from his position.

    Feeling somewhat afraid, Keith crossed the dividing line between the two zones and entered the fog, the sunlight taking on a grey hue. He immediately noticed the ground was wet and mushy, sinking with his every step. Crouching down, Keith saw layers of decomposing leaves and undergrowth. Was the zone a marsh?

    Keith continued forward until it occurred to him that he couldn¡¯t hear his footsteps. Stopping to listen, he found his surroundings eerily silent. Keith looked around and felt like something was watching him from beyond the fog, even when he used Mana Manipulation to confirm there wasn¡¯t.

    Well, that¡¯s scary, Keith thought.

    Minutes passed as he ventured deeper.

    Suddenly, the outline of a tall figure appeared in his path. Keith reflexively activated Mana Barrier to thwart an attack, yet the figure remained motionless.

    Surrounded by fog, the unknown creature and Keith entered a standoff, neither moving.

    The atmosphere was tense.

    When a minute went by with nothing happening, Keith summoned a spear from the Arsenal of the Desert. It hovered next to him as he inched forward. In response to his advance, the fog retreated, lifting the veil over the mysterious creature.

    It was a tree.

    Keith¡¯s face turned red at discovering that the mighty foe he imagined was harmless. He should¡¯ve noticed that Mana Manipulation told him there was no mana signature, meaning it was an inanimate object.

    Relaxing, Keith dismissed the spear and approached, finding the tree¡¯s black bark rotted and covered in moss. The trunk curved upward, appearing sickly, and its branches curled like fingers. It was the creepiest tree he had ever seen.

    Keith pressed further into the damp and dimly lit fog. The sickly diseased trees appeared in large numbers, and eventually, he started encountering ponds with reeds and bushes growing around them. Non-aggressive critters like frogs and dragonflies made these their home.

    A loud splash caught Keith¡¯s attention when he passed a larger pond. Spinning around, he came face to face with a human-sized creature climbing out from the depths of the water, a squirming frog in its mouth.

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    (Ancient) Guppi Fighter ¨C Level 725

    Health: 5,000,000/5,000,000

    Hunched over, the Guppi Fighter fully emerged from the pond, its slimy transparent blue skin displaying its veins and organs. Like a fish, it had webbed hands and feet, and Keith was reminded of a piranha when he saw the sharp, serrated teeth lining its absurdly big mouth.

    The monster blinked its bobbly eyes at Keith.

    Swallowing the frog whole, it looked him up and down, asking, ¡°What fish you be?¡±

    Keith was amazed. Orcus was the first monster he encountered that could speak, and now there was another. He found the situation surreal and decided to humor the creature, answering, ¡°I¡¯m a human.¡±

    ¡°Human?¡± The Guppi Fighter¡¯s eyes abruptly turned bloodshot.

    Without warning, the monster pounced at Keith, its mouth opening abnormally wide. Keith hurriedly activated Mana Barrier and raised an arm to block as it knocked him to the ground. He felt his body stiffen, followed by a notification informing him a skill had immobilized him for three seconds.

    Now stunned, Keith helplessly watched the Guppi Figher¡¯s mouth clamp onto his extended limb, sparks erupting when its teeth ground against his Mana Barrier.

    While trying to chew apart Keith¡¯s arm, it snarled like a rabid dog and used its clawed hands to scratch at his neck.

    Though Keith¡¯s Mana Barrier proved resilient against the physical attacks, what alarmed him was the copious amounts of saliva spewing out from the Guppi Fighter¡¯s mouth. Not only was it disgusting, but it also possessed a potent corrosive property, melting through Keith¡¯s Mana Barrier alarmingly fast.

    By the time two seconds passed, the saliva broke through and touched his armor, at which point ominous sizzling sounds rang out. A few drops of spit also landed on Keith¡¯s face, and since his helmet didn¡¯t cover that area, it ate through his cheeks, revealing his teeth and tongue.

    Keith felt excruciating pain yet was unable to scream, and when the stun effect finally wore off, anger overcame him.

    Roaring, Keith slammed a Fireball-encompassed fist into the Guppi Fighter¡¯s jaw with his free arm. The strike dazed the monster, allowing a root to wrap around its ankle and yank it away. As Keith jumped to his feet, the Guppi Fighter severed its bindings with a swipe of its claw and landed some ten feet away.

    Unexpectedly, the monster sprang backward into the fog and disappeared within, surprising Keith. He immediately noticed how the fog didn¡¯t keep a distance of fifteen feet from the Guppi Fighter as it did for him.

    How troublesome, he mused, looking around.

    Due to the fog, the Guppi Fighter could appear from fifteen feet away in any direction, and considering its speed, Keith would barely have any time to react to its attack.

    Never before had he been in such a disadvantageous environment.

    Thinking quickly, Keith activated Arsenal of the Desert and summoned a dozen weapons. They spread out, covering him in every direction. Next, he touched the back of his helmet, using Sensory Link to leave a mark and enabling him to see behind him.

    Staying vigilant, Keith observed the fog closely and attempted to sense for any mana signatures in his surroundings. Akin to a light in the dark, he discovered an approaching bundle of mana coming from his left. Keith feigned ignorance and turned to the right.

    A few seconds later, the Guppi Fighter burst out from the fog and rushed in to attack when it saw Keith facing the other way. It made no sound as it neared him in two steps, its claws already mid-swing, not noticing what was happening behind it.

    At the last moment, Keith stepped aside, avoiding the Guppi Fighter as a half-dozen weapons pierced through its back and pinned it to the ground. Seemingly infuriated, the monster shrieked and attempted to pry itself free until Keith crushed its throat with a fierce stomp, whereupon it grew still.

    Keith sighed in relief when the corpse dissipated into motes of light.

    With the fight over, the adrenaline coursing through Keith¡¯s body faded away, and a throbbing pain came from his mouth. Using a mirror, he saw several holes in his cheeks. The acidic saliva had melted away a portion of his face.

    ¡°Holy slimeballs.¡± Keith squirmed at the sight, disgusted by the pus surrounding his wounds. He searched through the medical supplies in his inventory and withdrew a burn cream. Tenderly applying it to his face, he then used bandaids to hide the holes.

    After taking care of his wounds, Keith took out a chair from his Collection Grimoire and sat down to take a rest. He reviewed the earlier fight, concluding that he needed to change his mentality.

    Since Keith was in an unfamiliar zone, facing an unfamiliar monster, he needed to behave much more cautiously. It wasn¡¯t like in the past when he could purchase information about a zone¡¯s characteristics and a monster¡¯s skills. Now, he needed to figure out the details himself.

    Moving forward, Keith decided to adopt a control-type combat style when encountering new monsters. He wouldn¡¯t go for the kill right off the bat. Instead, he¡¯d take his time discovering their capabilities. That way, he wouldn¡¯t needlessly put his life at risk.

    The Guppi Fighter had given him a wake-up call.

    If it hadn¡¯t been alone, who knows what would¡¯ve happened when it stunned him for three seconds?

    I got lucky, Keith thought.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29

    A conjured axe cleaved through a Guppi Fighter, splitting it in half.

    Keith approached the monster¡¯s dissipating corpse and picked up the loot. Just earlier, he had encountered a group of three Guppi Fighters, killing two and leaving one alive.

    He drew out the fight by using Entangling Roots to control its movements and learn more about it. To summarize, the Guppi Fighter frequently used the fog to its advantage, and in addition to its acidic saliva and pouncing stun, it could summon a water trident to use as a weapon.

    With the assessment complete, Keith ventured into the marsh more confidently. On his way, the landscape gradually became more complex. Dense shrubbery and thorny vines encompassed everything, while the ponds grew in size until they became small lakes.

    Keith killed any Guppi Fighters he came across.

    Against them, he mainly relied on Arsenal of the Desert, greatly enjoying its lethality. It also paired well with his Mind Division and Mind Enhancement skills. With it, Keith had easily wiped out over a hundred Guppi Fighters in almost an hour.

    The entire time, he paid attention to his experience bar, dismayed by the amount he needed to level up. All the monsters he killed contributed less than a percent toward the next level. He recalled that Yara once said the experience required to level beyond 500 increased exponentially, but he didn¡¯t think it was this steep.

    Sighing, Keith focused back on his surroundings upon sensing monsters nearby.

    He followed along the bank of a lake when the outlines of five Guppi Fighters emerged ahead. With a dozen conjured weapons already prepared, he stepped closer and found another outline three times larger next to the Guppi Fighters.

    What¡¯s that? Keith wondered.

    At his command, the Arsenal of the Desert weapons flew forward at maximum speed, instantly reaching the monsters. Caught off-guard, the weapons cut through them like butter, highlighting just how mighty a celestial grade skill was.

    Pained shrieks rang out, and two wounded Guppi Fighters left their three deceased companions behind and rushed toward their attacker from different directions.

    Keith simultaneously retreated and tracked the flanking Guppi Fighters with Mana Manipulation. Summoning roots at their feet, he accurately slapped the two monsters toward him, at which point swords, spears, and axes ripped them apart.

    At that moment, a fierce bellow shook the surrounding fog as a massive creature several meters tall lumbered over. Appearing to be of the same species as the Guppi Fighters, this humanoid fish sported freakish muscles all over its body.

    (Divine) Guppi Brawler ¨C Level 740

    Health: 8,000,000/8,000,000

    In the Guppi Brawler¡¯s hand was a giant sledgehammer made of coral. When it saw Keith, it hefted its weapon overhead and smashed down.

    BOOM!

    The earth ruptured from the blow.

    A shockwave spread in an arc, uplifting the ground wherever it passed. Dirt and foilage flew everywhere.

    Keith saw the incoming shockwave and multicast several layers of Ice Wall. The barriers crumbled one after another, though each one decreased the shockwave¡¯s power until it fizzled out.

    After defending against the Guppi Brawler¡¯s skill, Keith sensed its mana signature move with astonishing speed, and he dashed to the side just as the monster barreled through the last few Ice Walls with its burly physique.

    Retreating, Keith waved his hand, controlling his weapons to slash and stab at the Guppi Brawler. Each inflicted a bone-deep wound, and combined, they dealt heavy damage.

    With blood pouring out from every place on its body, the Guppi Brawler bellowed out in anger and charged at the tiny human before it. In response, Keith continuously fell back, using Entangling Roots to harass the Guppi Brawler and observing its actions.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    He noticed two things.

    First, the Guppi Brawler glowed red the further its health decreased, and the darker the glow, the faster it became. Second, it possessed a potent regeneration ability. Its wounds healed at a visible speed. When the monster revealed nothing new even after several minutes, Keith ended its life.

    Walking over to its disappearing corpse, he picked up the Guppi Brawler¡¯s loot, finding a broken gem among the other items.

    (Special) Fog Repellant Fragment

    Description: Combine ten fragments to form a Lesser Fog Repellant that increases the distance the fog is from the holder by five feet. Only effective while in the Foggy Marsh zone.

    Keith wasn¡¯t too excited by the special item.

    For most people, the fog was a great hindrance. It was the same for him until he grew more familiar with sensing living creatures'' mana signature through Mana Manipulation. Now, Keith used the fog to his advantage. That was how he killed the five Guppi Fighters before they spotted him.

    More importantly, the encounter with the Guppi Brawler made Keith cautious.

    It was a brainless berserker that only cared about charging straight at its opponent, making it hard to ignore. Alone, it was no threat, but the situation changed when it had a group of Guppi Fighters as reinforcements. Keith could easily imagine that while dealing with a Guppi Brawler, Guppi Fighters would lurk in the fog, waiting to deal a fatal blow.

    Brainstorming how he¡¯d counter such an enemy lineup, Keith continued deeper into the marsh. No longer did he encounter lone monsters. Instead, Guppi Fighters appeared in groups larger than five, with a Guppi Brawler occasionally accompanying them.

    Keith focused on wiping out the Guppi Fighters as fast as possible before moving on to the Guppi Brawler. The fights generally went well, especially because he attacked the monsters first.

    However, there was one unexpected battle.

    At that time, Keith was dealing with two Guppi Brawlers when a nearby group of monsters heard the commotion and came to assist. To play it safe, Keith Quickdrew several Laegur Beam Arrays to swiftly finish the fight.

    That encounter was an insightful one.

    It taught him that no matter the situation, there were always factors outside your control.

    After that, Keith fought one group of monsters after another.

    Unlike when he hunted in Mandara Desert, where he bombarded everything in sight from the sky, the Foggy Marsh zone forced Keith to engage monsters head-on. He improved with every fight and was like a piece of steel slowly being tempered.

    Several hours later, Keith crouched behind a boulder surrounded by reeds. He stared forward, motionless. Ahead, about fifty feet away, he sensed twelve Guppi Fighters, two Guppi Brawlers, and something new.

    By now, Keith could accurately determine what monster was what based on their mana signature, provided he had sensed them before. It was similar to recognizing something you had smelled in the past.

    Keith guessed the unknown mana signature belonged to a new type of Guppi, probably one with ranged attacks. He decided to play it safe. Retreating silently, he scouted the surroundings to ensure no other monster groups were nearby.

    After Keith confirmed the area was clear, he found a decent hiding spot and used Entangling Roots far beyond the monster group he was targeting. The roots slammed against the ground and made a ruckus, drawing the attention of the monster group.

    The Guppi Fighters rushed over to investigate, and due to their speed, they left the Guppi Brawlers behind. At that moment, a gang of weapons flew over from the left and right, storming the Guppi Brawlers like a swarm of hornets.

    While suffering from the strikes, the Guppi Brawlers attempted to search for Keith, unaware he was over fifty feet away. Unlike Keith, who used Mana Manipulation to bypass the fog, they were completely blind.

    Unable to find their assailant, the Guppi Brawlers retaliated against the flying weapons to the best of their ability. Although the weapons were fast, a few broke apart from some lucky blows. Even then, more weapons burst out from the fog to replace their fallen brothers and sisters.

    Every strike from the Arsenal of the Desert weapons dealt a little less damage than the Laegur Beam array, and they could attack several times a second. Their damage output was so great the two level 740 divine Guppi Brawlers died in less than ten seconds.

    At this point, the Guppi Fighters returned after destroying the roots, just to die one after another under the weapon gang¡¯s lightning-quick attacks. The only monster left was the unknown one.

    Keith deliberately kept it alive and approached the battlefield. He ignored the loot on the ground and observed the new Guppi variant.

    (Divine) Guppi Warlock ¨C Level 750

    Health: 6,500,000/6,500,000

    Wielding a gnarled wooden staff, it had a sickly and frail physique. The Guppi Warlock shrieked upon spotting Keith and waved its staff, whereupon the nearby reeds and shrubbery sprang to life. With movement similar to snakes, they crawled along the ground quickly.

    As Keith conjured roots to counter the plant life, the Guppi Warlock summoned a half-dozen bone totems six feet tall. A ball of fire shot out from the skull at the top and locked onto Keith.

    A few minutes later, the Guppi Warlock fell to the ground, dead.

    Keith picked up all the loot, happy with the alchemy materials the Guppi monsters consistently dropped.

    Just as Keith stored the last item, he sensed four unknown mana signatures homing in on his position with alarming speed. Unsure of what was nearing him, Keith activated Mana Barrier¡¯s Dragon Regalia mode and surrounded himself with conjured weapons.

    Two seconds later, a humanoid with dark skin wielding daggers rushed out of the fog, their stance low.

    Keith was shocked.

    He recognized the other ¨C it was a female demon!

    Without missing a beat, the demon locked eyes with Keith and sped up. Fearlessly entering the range of Keith¡¯s conjured weapons, she expertly deflected two strikes from a sword and axe in one move and twirled past another attack in the next.

    Horrified by the demon¡¯s speed, Keith teleported backward as a sharp pain came from his wrist. He looked down and saw his right hand missing. Without hesitation, Keith turned and fled.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30

    Keith pushed Mind Division and Mind Enhancement to their limits the moment he recognized his life was on the line. Affected by the skills and adrenaline, his consciousness experienced the world move in slow motion, giving him ample time to consider what to do.

    He estimated the dagger-wielding demon¡¯s level was over 800 based on the fact that even though he used Mana Barrier¡¯s Dragon Regalia and Battle Loadout, which swapped his equipment to resist physical damage prior to the attack, she had still cut off his hand in a single swing.

    Instead of wondering what a demon was doing here, Keith¡¯s divided minds sought ways to survive against an opponent far more powerful than him. He immediately considered using the fog to hide his tracks, though he first had to gain some distance from the dagger-wielding demon.

    Having decided on a plan, Keith tapped the back of his helmet with his remaining hand as he ran, planting a Senory Link mark. He used the additional vision granted by the skill to impede the demon assassin with his flying weapons as best he could.

    Unfortunately, Keith underestimated the demon¡¯s prowess.

    She easily bypassed the gang of weapons in a few moves, barely giving him enough time to increase the distance between them.

    Keith, unwilling to give up, decisively dismissed the weapons before summoning new ones near his position without concern for the mana cost. The newly formed weapon gang launched themselves at the demon, and at the same time, Keith multicast Entangling Roots to back them up.

    When Keith saw the demon waste more than a second before passing the weapons again, he inwardly whooped in delight.

    The plan was feasible.

    Next, Keith repeatedly did the same thing, dismissing the weapons and resummoning them to hinder the demon¡¯s advance. By the time he spent over a million mana, he had left the demon far behind.

    Not daring to slow down, Keith pulled out the whistle that could conjure the Dire Desert Eagle so long as he channeled the item for five seconds without interruption.

    Before he was halfway through, the mind he delegated to observing mana signatures called out in alarm. Of the four mana signatures he sensed earlier, the one belonging to the dagger-wielding demon was some two hundred feet behind, while the two following on his left and right were now converging on his location.

    Not good!

    Keith activated Void Shadowstep¡¯s magic immunity form just as a volley of black Firebolts burst out from the fog and phased through his body. At the same time, three glistening arrows came from the opposite direction.

    Instantly summoning a thick greatsword, Keith blocked two arrows with the weapon¡¯s flat side. The last arrow punched through his Mana Barrier and halfway into his armor, dealing some damage.

    As Keith ran, the two ranged assailants continued their attacks, whittling down his health over time. Their coordination was impeccable, forcing Keith to chew through his mana by phasing continuously.

    Although he felt they weren¡¯t overwhelmingly strong, their attacks slowed him down, allowing the dagger-wielding demon behind to slowly catch up.

    At the same time as Keith defended against the ranged attackers, a few of his divided minds stalled the dagger-wielding demon by using Arsenal of the Desert and Entangling Roots while the remainder engaged in discussion.

    I overlooked something, one of Keith¡¯s minds spoke up. Earlier, how come the dagger-wielding demon exited the fog as if she were a monster? Shouldn¡¯t the fog keep its distance from her like it does for us? It should¡¯ve been two clear areas approaching each other, right?

    Another mind responded, Unless the fog works differently than how I thought.

    I understand now, the previous mind shouted. What if the fog is a hallucination? It¡¯s all in my mind. If that¡¯s the case, the fifteen-foot clear zone around me is only clear for me. Nobody else can see it. These demons have likely collected quite a lot of Fog Repellent. Even though their clear zone is much larger than mine, it doesn¡¯t work for me.

    Good deduction, but how does that help me escape? A new mind interrupted the conversation.

    I¡¯ll try the sky, a mind said.

    Ok.

    Go for it.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    More minds gave their support.

    After Keith defended against another wave of attacks, he summoned an Ice Wall at his feet. It rose from the ground, giving Keith a boost as he jumped off it. Activating Flight, he took to the skies.

    The two ranged attackers followed in pursuit, though they were a tad slower than Keith, whose Mana Body upgraded his Flight skill by an entire grade. Keith was about to celebrate when the last mana signature he sensed earlier appeared above him.

    Oh no!

    The air trembled as the phantom of a giant fist the size of a house encompassed Keith¡¯s vision, and the threat it gave off was so great that Keith instantly used Void Shadowstep¡¯s magic immunity form.

    The fist phantom passed through Keith when a demon adorned in heavy plate armor appeared beside him. Unable to teleport while phased, the demon plunged a fist deep into Keith¡¯s stomach.

    ¡°Ugh!¡± Keith spat out a mouthful of blood, his body curling around the fist before barreling toward the ground so fast that his vision blurred.

    BOOM!

    A shockwave spread out from where Keith landed, uplifting the earth wherever it passed. At the center of the newly formed crater was Keith, half-buried under chunks of dirt. It was only now that his Mana Barrier crumbled to pieces.

    A moment later, the four demons landed at the edge of the crater from different directions. They glanced at one another, then looked down at Keith as he struggled to his feet, a hand clutching his stomach.

    The dagger-wielding demon spoke coldly, ¡°Ustrek, you finish him.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± the plate-armored demon grunted.

    Keith¡¯s expression was grim. He watched Ustrek walk down from the crater''s edge, not forgetting to keep an eye on the other three demons in case they were trying to deceive him. Now that Keith had lost his chance to flee, he shifted his mindset and devised a plan to counterattack.

    It¡¯s now or never, Keith thought.

    Without warning, he summoned as many roots as he could, pumping them with so much mana they were thicker than he was tall. Instead of going on the offensive, the roots coiled around Keith and wrapped him in a cocoon.

    One layer, two layers, three layers.

    Keith consumed vast quantities of mana to bolster his defenses until he felt safe.

    Ustrek clicked his tongue, and in one step, arrived next to the giant cocoon, punching out another fist phantom.

    CRUNCH!

    Sinking deep into the roots, the phantom broke past three layers before dissipating, leaving a fist-shaped indent in the bark.

    Ustrek was mildly surprised by the cocoon¡¯s durability; his attack did less than he expected.

    Narrowing his eyes, Ustrek repeatedly punched out.

    One phantom after another sunk into the roots, breaking them down through sheer force. Bark flew everywhere as the cocoon visibly shrunk under the barrage. And yet, moments later, Keith consumed hundreds of thousands of mana to replace what was lost.

    At the same time, Keith allocated a few minds to lock onto the position of the four demons. Through Mana Manipulation, he normally saw blurry figures in his mind¡¯s eye, but now, the pain from his wounds and the threat of imminent death stimulated Keith¡¯s potential, sharpening his senses.

    To his astonishment, the blurred figures gradually gained defined shapes.

    In his mind, he saw a dense cluster of mana near the demon¡¯s chests. Focusing on the heavily armored demon, the image enlarged, showing numerous skill arrays. One in particular constantly flashed whenever Ustrek punched.

    Keith ignored the consecutive notifications informing him that Mana Manipulation leveled up and tried to familiarize himself with his improved mana vision.

    Zooming out, Keith vaguely sensed the presence of mana all around him. Whether it was in the ground or air, it was ever-present. In addition, the mana took on five colors: light blue, green, dark blue, brown, and red.

    The ground was mostly composed of brown with a mix of dark blue hidden deep underneath. Green filled the air while red was mostly nonexistent. Light blue covered everything. Keith discerned that each color represented an element: green for wind, dark blue for water, brown for earth, and red for fire. Light blue signified neutral mana.

    Now that Keith could sense even small motes of mana, a mental map of his surroundings formed in his mind. The cocoon encompassing him, the crater, and some distance further. Everything within a hundred-foot radius reflected itself in his consciousness.

    Atop the edge of the crater, when the dagger-wielding demon saw Ustrek struggle to finish the job, she spoke to her other companions in a commanding tone, ¡°You two, assist him. Don¡¯t waste time.¡±

    At her request, the two demons assisted Ustrek, raining arrows and fire-based spells upon the cocoon. The fire spells in particular did more damage than the other two demons combined, as fire countered wood.

    Keith knew he was running out of time when he saw the cocoon shrink at a rapid pace.

    Taking a deep breath, Keith utilized his vastly improved mana vision and activated Quickdraw, praying that his plan would succeed.

    Followed by a soft breeze, three Laegur Beam arrays manifested behind each of the three demons standing at the edge of the crater. With their attention fully on the cocoon, they remained unaware as the arrays started channeling mana.

    Just as the Laegur Beam arrays fired, the dagger-wielding demon sensed movement behind her and jumped to the side. Although two of the beams missed her, one went right through her chest, obliterating both her lungs.

    The other two demons were not so fortunate.

    Three beams of concentrated mana pierced through their head and torso, killing them instantly. Their lifeless bodies toppled over and rolled down the crater.

    Ustrek heard the commotion and turned, his eyes widening at the sight.

    Right then, a beam shot out from a gap in the cocoon, ripping a hole straight through his skull.

    Silence reigned on the battlefield.

    When Keith saw the result of his counter-attack, he released the breath he¡¯d unknowingly held, then suddenly paused.

    In his mind¡¯s eye, he saw the dagger-wielding demon begin to flee.

    For a moment, he stood there, indecisive.

    Gradually, his resolve hardened, and he flew in pursuit.

    A few minutes later, he stood over the last demon¡¯s body, observing the gruesome sight. The pool of blood reached his feet, yet he remained motionless.

    Keith clenched his hands.

    For the first time, he killed a person.

    Four people.

    Though it was self-defense, it was true he had snuffed out their life. Their future, hopes, and dreams, were now forever lost. How many would mourn their death? What of their families? Did they have children?

    These questions made Keith feel a bundle of emotions.

    Even then, he didn¡¯t regret it, as his conscience was clear.

    Keith slowly calmed down, thinking that death had come knocking, only to get the wrong door.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31

    Corpse of Isuni Biumus ¨C Level 814

    Inspect informed Keith of the dagger-wielding demon¡¯s name.

    Now that Isuni was dead, her inventory was available to any who interacted with her body, so Keith crouched down, growing excited at the idea of what she had for him to take when he paused, conflicted.

    Looting a monster was fine, there was no mental burden, but a person?

    That was different.

    For a whole minute, Keith struggled internally before deciding he couldn¡¯t let this chance to grow stronger pass. Extending his hand, he forced down his apprehension and tapped Isuni¡¯s body, bringing up a screen of her inventory¡¯s details.

    Keith visibly shook upon taking stock of her items.

    Although Isuni had limited inventory slots compared to Keith¡¯s Collection Grimoire, high-level materials and equipment took up the majority of her space. There was nothing below level 800. More importantly, the equipment she wore was all divine grade. She also had around two billion gold.

    ¡°Collect!¡± Keith shouted, unable to wait any longer.

    A flash of light passed as Keith¡¯s Collection Grimoire took everything from Isuni¡¯s inventory, along with her corpse.

    ¡°What?¡± Keith stood in surprise. Did he subconsciously want to collect Isuni¡¯s corpse when he made the command? He didn¡¯t know.

    Pulling up the details of his Collection Grimoire, Keith saw that Isuni¡¯s corpse gave a substantial amount of Collection Value, making him feel queasy. Thinking about how he almost died a few minutes ago, he ultimately didn¡¯t remove the corpse.

    Suddenly, the Collection Grimoire quivered, sending a vague message to Keith.

    ¡°Are you serious¡­¡± Keith muttered disbelievingly and pulled up the Function Shop¡¯s panel.

    Scrolling down, he saw it.

    A new function.

    Clone (1) ¨C 100 billion Collection Points

    Description: Creates another body with equivalent primary stats and levels for you to control. It can do anything you can do. Any experience or skill levels gained are shared with the main body. If it dies, you need to consume health to resummon it. One mind, two bodies.

    ¡°What the slimeball!¡± Keith¡¯s eyes nearly burst from shock.

    Based on the function¡¯s description, the possibilities were endless.

    What was Keith lacking the most?

    Time!

    Markus, Ska¡¯dur, Torg, Yara, Frod, and everyone else was far, far older than Keith. They had much more time to develop their strength. Since Keith¡¯s goal was to catch up to them, this new function was just what he needed. With a clone, he could safely study arrays at home and have his clone go out hunting or he could have it train skills.

    Keith didn¡¯t forget the function had a (1) after its name.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    If a single clone could double his efficiency, then two would triple it.

    How awesome was that?

    Unfortunately, Keith was around 40 billion off from 100 billion CP. The second clone would surely multiply in cost, much less the third. In any case, it was a new tangible goal for Keith to work towards.

    Moments later, Keith returned to the crater, collecting the other three demon¡¯s inventory and corpses, netting him over 6 billion in Collection Value. Their levels were 775, 783, and 768, and the grade of their equipment was mainly ancient with a few pieces of divine. Altogether, the four demons had given Keith 10 billion in Collection Value in addition to a small boost in stats.

    After looting everything, Keith glanced down at his missing hand and calculated it would regenerate in twelve hours based on his health recovery speed.

    Sighing, he started summoning the Dire Desert Eagle, wanting to return even though the day was only halfway over. The life and death experience had left him exhausted. Five seconds later, he mounted the Dire Desert Eagle and took off, soaring straight up. Once out of the fog, Keith oriented himself based on the sun¡¯s position and flew west.

    Glancing over his shoulder at the Foggy Marsh, Keith didn¡¯t think he¡¯d come back any time soon. The demons he fought came from the Sin Dimension, which was a few zones further southeast.

    According to Yara, demons were experts in guerrilla warfare. Since the team he encountered was most likely one of many, it would be safer to adventure in the opposite direction, to the southwest of Serenity Canyon.

    An hour later, Keith flopped onto his bed and passed out.

    ****

    Inside the ramparts running alongside the Skynet, in a meeting room, a group of officials belonging to the Innate Nation sat on one side of a table.

    Across from them was Radav Igneo, a delegate from the Elemental Nation, with five Solar Flare Legion members standing at attention behind him. Radav was the oldest of Torg''s children, being over a thousand years old. His status in the Elemental Nation was just under the four rulers and above millions.

    Both sides had spent the past several hours negotiating a partnership, and it was now deep into the night. After discussing for so long, the officials from the Innate Nation wore stern expressions while Radav had a satisfied smile.

    It was easy to imagine why.

    The overall power the Innate Nation possessed was far less than the Elemental Nation, so they had to accept many unfavorable terms and conditions to broker an alliance.

    Thankfully, the Elemental Nation¡¯s situation was less than ideal.

    Due to Monster King Tyranus constantly sending its forces to nip away at the Elemental Nation, together with the harassment from the Sin Dimension, the Elemental Nation¡¯s forces were spread thin. In reality, the sudden arrival of the Innate Nation gave the Elemental Nation a chance to breathe.

    Following a period of silence, Radav chuckled and glanced at the people opposite him, saying, ¡°Are we in agreement?¡±

    The dozen officials looked at each other before one of them responded, ¡°We are.¡±

    ¡°Good!¡± Radav stood, his mission accomplished. ¡°I¡¯ll be on my way, then.¡±

    Now that negotiations were over, a soldier from the Innate Nation led Radav and his guards out of the compound, where they crossed the Skynet and disappeared into the distance.

    Meanwhile, back in the meeting room, the solemn expressions of the officials transformed into one of elation.

    At that moment, Markus and Luca entered, with Markus asking, ¡°Well?¡±

    An official stood and saluted. ¡°Sir, everything was as we expected. The Elemental Nation desperately needs time to recover after so many years of warfare, and they asked us to guard half of the Blockade for ten years. In exchange, they¡¯ll give us six zones, acknowledge our independence, and maintain peace so long as we fulfill our promise.¡±

    Markus rubbed his chin, turning to Luca beside him. ¡°How hard is it to defend half of the Blockade?¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Luca considered briefly. ¡°Personnel alone, you¡¯ll probably need ten million on rotating shifts. However, if you factor in your military¡¯s weapons of war, then it''s hard to say.¡±

    Even now, after working with the Innate Nation for so long, Luca still didn¡¯t have a clear grasp of what the Innate Nation¡¯s military was capable of. She was there the day they repelled Torg, and the Laegur Beam Cannon had given her a great shock. What else were they hiding?

    ¡°Ten million, huh?¡± Markus fell silent, knowing that while many of his loyal soldiers would perish over the ten years they needed to defend the Blockade, it needed to be done.

    The average level of the Innate Nation¡¯s military was far below the standards of the Elemental Nation and Sin Dimension. Guarding the Blockade, where they had the opportunity to fight monsters 24/7, was something they desperately needed.

    A sacrifice was required if the Innate Nation truly wanted to compete for rulership of the Grandsky Realm. Markus had already come to terms with this. Of course, he would be there, on the frontlines, every single day. Ordering his forces to take on a dangerous task while sitting in the back wasn¡¯t something he would ever consider.

    Markus¡¯s expression was pensive as he asked, ¡°When do they want us at the Blockade?¡±

    ¡°Within two weeks,¡± the official answered.

    ¡°Very well,¡± Markus nodded, growing expectant.

    Soon, the Innate Nation would make a formal entrance onto the stage of the Grandsky Realm. They had spent five hundred years building their foundation under Yara¡¯s guidance, and now it was time to reap the rewards of their effort.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32

    It was late in the afternoon by the time Keith awoke.

    Rising from the bed, he glanced down at his regenerated right hand, relieved until he remembered he was now bald. Keith ran a hand over his scalp. It would take weeks to grow back his hair.

    Slimeballs, he thought. How am I going to show myself in public?

    Why did the System regrow his hand and not his hair? It was clearly biased!

    After venting his grievances, Keith headed to the kitchen to grab a bite to eat and sent his Aunt Serilla a message informing her of yesterday¡¯s events and his loot.

    While Isuni¡¯s level 800 divine equipment gave plentiful Collection Value, Keith wanted to give it to the military in exchange for contribution points. Nobody could craft equipment at that grade and level yet, so the military would pay a premium for such high-end goods. With the contribution points, Keith could exchange for items from the military¡¯s armory and gain more Collection Value than what Isuni¡¯s equipment gave.

    Serilla soon responded, and the two planned to meet at the military exchange center in New Hope. Half an hour later, Keith arrived under the shadow of a massive oval complex, where soldiers and adventurers continuously filtered in and out through several open entryways.

    Before Keith could even search for his Aunt, she walked over from the side, inspecting Keith¡¯s beanie as she attempted to hold back a laugh.

    ¡°Ha, ha,¡± Keith grumbled when he saw her expression, pulling down on the sides of the beanie to make sure not an inch of his head saw the light.

    Seeing his cautious behavior, Serilla playfully reached out, intending to tug it away, but stopped when he yelped in horror, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°Sheesh, fine,¡± Serilla replied, the corner of her lip twitching.

    Suddenly, before Keith understood what she was doing, Serilla snapped a photo of him with a photography gem.

    ¡°No!¡± Keith¡¯s eyes widened in alarm, and he reached out to grab it, only for Serilla to store it in her inventory.

    Serilla smirked victoriously, ¡°Heh, just wait till your mom sees this. Oh, and your sisters.¡±

    With an aggrieved tone, Keith asked, ¡°Can we go already?¡±

    ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Serilla laughed and took the lead.

    Together, aunt and nephew entered the military exchange center, tuning out the numerous conversations occurring around them. They walked up the stairs to the upper floors, and when stopped by a guard, Serilla flashed a golden badge with the image of two clasped hands etched on its surface.

    The military exchange center had three levels of badges: bronze, silver, and gold.

    Anyone could register for a bronze badge, while the silver badge required you to have exchanged over 100 million gold worth of items with the military, and the gold badge required over a billion. To enter the second and third floors, you needed a silver and gold badge respectively. Most notably, each floor had different goods you could exchange for, with higher floors possessing increasingly rare items.

    When the guard saw Serilla¡¯s gold badge, he stepped back and let them through, full of respect. Anyone who had a gold badge was either a financial magnate or someone with high combat power.

    Till now, the military exchange center has only given out a little over two thousand gold badges, mostly to adventurer teams, so the third floor was less bustling compared to the first two floors.

    Passing the guard, Serilla brought Keith to an available office, made private by sound-canceling and vision-obscuring arrays. There, an female elderly elf sat behind a desk, an industrial-use magic tablet in front of her. She welcomed them with a smile, ¡°Hello, how may I assist you today?¡±

    Serilla sat down in one of the chairs designated for guests and gestured to Keith, passing over all responsibility to him. Keith took a seat beside his aunt and began, ¡°I have a set of agility based level 800 divine grade equipment to exchange.¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Okay,¡± the clerk started typing into her magical tablet before abruptly freezing. Looking up, she stuttered, ¡°W-what did you say? Level 800?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Keith nodded, then added, ¡°I also have three sets of level 780 ancient grade equipment, a few pieces being divine grade.¡±

    The clerk was visibly astonished, and her breathing quickened. Cautiously, she asked, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe you, but so far, nobody has acquired equipment with that high of a level.¡±

    Keith flipped his hand, withdrawing a level 800 divine grade crimson dagger from his inventory, and placed it gently on the desk.

    ¡°Amazing,¡± the clerk gasped after using Inspect, growing excited at the commission she¡¯d get for this transaction. Putting her professionalism on full display, the clerk asked Keith to take out all the items he wanted to exchange and started entering their details into the military¡¯s database.

    Fifteen minutes later, she frowned, ¡°Sir, with the uniqueness of your items, I do not have the necessary authority to quote a price. Please wait a few minutes while I get my superior.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Keith answered as the clerk stood up and left through the back door.

    At this time, Serilla sighed, ¡°If I weren¡¯t so far from level 800, I¡¯d buy those two daggers from you.¡±

    ¡°Why should you buy them? Say the word, and they''re yours,¡± Keith replied, grateful for all his aunt''s help over the years.

    Serilla considered briefly before saying, ¡°No, I think not. Who knows how long it¡¯ll take me to reach level 800? It¡¯s more beneficial to exchange them now and increase your strength.¡±

    A short period later, a male, middle-aged dwarf wearing formal attire walked in through the backdoor, accompanied by the elderly elf from earlier. The dwarf took a minute scrutinizing the stats of Keith¡¯s equipment, then said, ¡°We¡¯ll give you twenty billion contribution points for everything.¡±

    Keith turned to Serilla for her opinion, and when she nodded, he responded, ¡°Deal.¡±

    With the exchange concluded, the dwarf prepared to leave when Keith spoke up, ¡°I also have some information I want to share.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± The dwarf gestured for Keith to continue.

    Keith took a second to sort his thoughts before explaining, ¡°Yesterday, I went into the zone east of Mandara Desert, called Foggy Marsh¡­¡±

    At the start, the dwarf was mildly curious as he listened, but when Keith recounted his fight with the demon party, he grew solemn.

    The information revealed in Keith¡¯s story was incredibly important to the military, as they hadn¡¯t stepped foot in Foggy Marsh yet. Whether it was how the fog worked or the fact natives from the Sin Dimension were roaming so close to Serenity Canyon, both were vital pieces of knowledge that could save lives.

    When Keith finished speaking, the dwarf took a deep breath, looking at Keith in a new light. ¡°Sir, the information you provided is invaluable. I¡¯ll add 25 billion contribution points to your account, and including the equipment from earlier, that¡¯ll be 45 billion. May I see your badge?¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have one. I brought him here,¡± Serilla answered before Keith could respond.

    ¡°That¡¯s no problem. I¡¯ll just create an account for him now and get a golden badge issued. It won¡¯t take long,¡± replied the elderly elf.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave,¡± said the dwarf, who left in a hurry towards the intelligence officer stationed at the exchange center.

    Fifteen minutes later, Keith held a golden badge, with 45 billion contribution points already inside his account.

    According to his aunt, each contribution point was equivalent to one gold, meaning the fight with the demon team had netted him 20 billion gold in equipment. In comparison, it took Keith half a year of growing precious herbs and taking advantage of the market to accumulate 40 billion gold.

    If Keith took down a few more demon teams, he¡¯d easily exceed a hundred billion gold, and it wouldn¡¯t take more than a week. Of course, he¡¯d be putting his life at risk. Keith wasn¡¯t willing to gamble with his life for money. He wasn¡¯t that desperate.

    Now that Keith had so many contribution points, he spent the next few hours browsing the exchange list. In the end, he returned home with less than a million contribution points to his name.

    All his points went towards efficiently getting enough Collection Points to purchase the Clone function, with the remaining contribution points spent on 65 mythic grade elixirs. Although they weren¡¯t nearly as good as the ones Orcus dropped, they were better than nothing.

    Rushing to the dining room, Keith withdrew the elixirs from his Collection Grimoire and placed them on the table. The room lit up with an array of vibrant colors the moment they appeared, dazzling the eyes, and the fragrant aroma made Keith lick his lips in anticipation.

    While they were absurdly expensive, there was one reason why Keith chose to purchase elixirs: they increased base stats.

    By now, Keith had several titles and effects that boosted his base stats, so raising them even further made sense. He had only consumed a handful of elixirs to date, so he was far from reaching his body¡¯s limit. Not everyone was like Markus and Ska¡¯dur who had long reached theirs. The average person could barely get their hands on more than a dozen.

    And so, there was one thing left to do.

    Overwhelmed with excitement, he drank twelve elixirs in one go, and when he reached out to grab another, he felt something rise from his stomach. Turning to the side, he threw up on the spot, rainbow-colored liquid spewing from his mouth and all over the floor.

    The sight dazed Keith when he suddenly realized something.

    Oh no!

    Keith hurriedly opened his notification history and saw that he had only digested a few elixirs. The other eight had not given him stats yet!

    What did that mean?

    Keith looked back at the glowing rainbow-colored vomit on the floor, his face pale white. Thinking of how precious elixirs were, Keith eventually mustered his resolve. Slowly getting on his knees, Keith bent over, closed his eyes, and sucked until not a single drop of liquid remained.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33

    When Keith did what needed to be done, he decided to hold off on drinking more elixirs for a while. The next time, he¡¯d drink them slowly.

    Keith held back a burp and went to the living room to lay on a couch ¨C one of the few furnishings he had in an otherwise barren home. For minutes, Keith was motionless, recovering from his binge drinking.

    After a short period, Keith opened the Collection Grimoire¡¯s function shop and purchased Clone, spending all of his Collection Points in the process. A new skill array appeared in his chest, so unbelievably complicated he recognized barely any runes.

    Unable to make heads or tails of it, Keith pulled up the details of his new skill.

    (Special) Clone

    Description: Consume 90% of your health and mana to summon a clone. The clone possesses all your base stats and skills, except it doesn¡¯t gain access to your titles and innate gift. Any experience or skill levels gained are shared with the main body, and no matter what happens, it¡¯ll always stay connected to you. You can summon a maximum of one clone. If it dies, you must resummon it.

    Keith heaved a sigh of relief upon reading the description.

    One of his concerns was what unfolded with Elaine and Yara. When Sloth cursed Elaine, the connection between her and her clone was severed, allowing Yara to gain independence. Keith didn¡¯t want something like that to happen to his clone. Thankfully, according to the skill¡¯s description, it wouldn¡¯t.

    The only troublesome part was the 90% health it consumed to cast the skill. Since it would take Keith over a week to recover naturally, he hoped the health stored in his Collection Grimoire would cover the cost. The moment he arrived at that thought, his Grimoire vibrated, sending a vague message to Keith that it could.

    ¡°Great!¡± Keith was elated.

    Now that the health cost was no issue, he activated the skill and summoned a clone for the first time.

    Whoosh!

    The airflow in the room picked up as a circular array manifested on the floor. From within rose a bald young man wearing a simple shirt and shorts, looking exactly like Keith.

    As soon as the clone appeared, Keith felt a sensation similar to that when he used Sensory Link, and in his mind, he saw two perspectives.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Keith greeted.

    The clone replied with a smile, ¡°Howdy.¡±

    Keith gave his clone a handshake, mesmerized by how fluid it was to control each body. There was no feeling of discomfort at all. Every action was harmonious, even if one body did something different than the other.

    No doubt a hidden benefit from the System, Keith thought.

    Initially, Keith was prepared to utilize Mind Division to control his clone. Now, there was no need.

    Keith¡¯s clone also had a status panel of its own.

    Opening it, he saw its stats were much lower than expected and immediately understood why. Besides not having bonuses due to his titles and equipment, the clone lacked a Mana Body.

    If it were in the past, Keith would¡¯ve needed Heart Calming Tea and a Tranquility array to form Frisk¡¯s Mana Body design, but with his recent gains in Mana Manipulation, Keith figured he could form it without a problem.

    Keith promptly got to work, and indeed, he casually completed the clone¡¯s Mana Body in one go. What used to be an incredibly difficult task was now simple, and it was hard proof that Keith was constantly improving.

    Upon finishing the Mana Body, a notification about its details appeared.

    [Transcendent] Mana Body (109%)

    All stats 85%

    Damage taken from skills at or below level 500 reduced by 93%

    Damage taken from skills at or below level 750 reduced by 68%

    Damage taken from skills at or below level 1,000 reduced by 23%

    Damage taken from regular attacks reduced by 15%

    Critical damage taken reduced by 15%

    Debuff resistance +55%

    Mana regeneration rate +1,150%

    Skill casting speed +210%

    Skill cooldown reduction +30%

    Skill mana cost -42%

    All skills behave as if they¡¯re 1 grade higher (Limit: Transcendent)

    ¡°Huh,¡± Keith gasped, startled to find that his clone¡¯s Mana Body was significantly better than his main body¡¯s. Most bonuses had higher numbers.

    What was the difference?Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    The completion rate!

    When Keith first formed his transcendent grade Mana Body, the completion rate was 96%. At the time, he was distracted by all the boosts the Mana Body gave him and ignored that little detail. Now, it seemed that the performance of a Mana Body greatly depended on its completion rate.

    However, Keith was confused about how it could exceed 100%.

    Wasn¡¯t 100% a perfect score?

    Keith tapped on the completion rate in the notification, which stated that the completion rate was based on the model used to form the Mana Body. Exceeding 100% meant you had surpassed the original design.

    No wonder. Keith was enlightened.

    There was no doubt Frisk had terribly poor talent in Mana Manipulation. Even though he could design the most intricate array, the actual drawing of runes was important, too. It would reduce the array''s performance if the lines wobbled or weren¡¯t the right thickness.

    Due to Keith¡¯s recent life-and-death encounter, his Mana Manipulation skill exploded in levels, gaining over 150 in one go, and now sat at level 743. As a result, his prowess in drawing runes was probably one of the best in the Innate Dimension. He improved Frisk¡¯s model simply by drawing runes correctly.

    Wait a second¡­ Keith paused.

    Just now, he formed his clone¡¯s Mana Body without thinking too much and didn¡¯t do his best. What completion rate could he get if he went all out? He wanted to find out.

    There was one problem.

    A prior notification warned that removing a Mana Body was excruciatingly painful. How painful exactly? Keith didn¡¯t know.

    So, he made an attempt.

    Keith¡¯s clone focused inward and tugged at the array interlinked with his body.

    A sharp sting came from his nerves as soon as he did, causing Keith to stop.

    From that little test, Keith guessed that the pain was no different than trying to pull out your veins.

    What the slimeball, Keith¡¯s eyebrows twitched.

    How could he replace the Mana Body in his main body if the pain level was so high?

    For now, Keith decided it was better to summon a new clone instead of trying to pry away the Mana Body. A new clone meant a fresh slate to work with.

    Dismissing the clone with his will, Keith activated the Clone skill again, millions of health and mana draining from him and his Collection Grimoire.

    Another bald Keith rose from the ground, its lack of hair irritating him.

    This time, Keith deliberately took his time, trying to perfect every rune.

    An hour went by when he finally finished forming the Mana Body.

    A notification appeared, revealing that the Mana Body had a completion rate of 120%.

    Even then, Keith wasn¡¯t satisfied.

    He had made a few mistakes on several runes during the drawing process.

    Again!

    Keith could spend around 25 million mana until acquiring Mana Sickness, so he had room to work with. Before starting, he sent Adeiv a message asking for Heart Calming Tea. Though Keith could form a Mana Body without it, he sought to attain the highest result, so why not rely on some external supplements?

    With that in mind, Keith created a Tranquility array in his living room.

    Sitting inside it with his clone, he started his second attempt.

    One hour¡­

    Two hours¡­

    Three hours¡­

    Soon, night came, and Keith headed for bed, unable to conceal an expression of fatigue and anticipation. He had made three additional attempts with the Tranquility array as support. The best completion rate Keith scored was 145%, 49% better than his main body¡¯s Mana Body. And that was without the Heart Calming Tea!

    Adeiv had replied a few hours earlier, saying the tea would arrive in the morning.

    Keith felt there was little room for improvement after so many tests, so he wanted to get a good night¡¯s sleep before using the Heart Calming Tea in one final attempt tomorrow.

    Upon waking up, Keith found a package on his doorstep. Adeiv had delivered it not long ago. Keith brought it inside and opened it up, finding two portions of Heart Calming Tea within. He was lucky enough to get two, as it was a divine grade potion sought by many who wanted to form their Mana Body.

    With everything prepared, Keith ate breakfast and settled his mind before starting his last attempt. Sitting within the Tranquility Array, he summoned a clone and drank the Heart Calming Tea. Its cold chill shocked his mind into a state of wakefulness. When the Heart Calming Tea¡¯s effects peaked, Keith started drawing runes.

    This time, Keith took two hours to form his clone¡¯s Mana Body.

    He learned from his previous attempts and made no discernable mistakes.

    As a result, his completion rate was the best yet.

    [Transcendent] Mana Body (151%)

    All stats 97%

    Damage taken from skills at or below level 500 reduced by 96%

    Damage taken from skills at or below level 750 reduced by 70%

    Damage taken from skills at or below level 1,000 reduced by 27%

    Damage taken from regular attacks reduced by 20%

    Critical damage taken reduced by 17%

    Debuff resistance +59%

    Mana regeneration rate +1,350%

    Skill casting speed +240%

    Skill cooldown reduction +35%

    Skill mana cost -45%

    All skills behave as if they¡¯re 1 grade higher (Limit: Transcendent)

    Keith wiped the sweat off his forehead.

    Overall, he was pleased with the result.

    The Mana Body, at 151% completion rate, had around 30-40% better effects than the 96% completion rate, which was rather significant.

    Next up came the difficult part.

    Keith didn¡¯t put in all that effort just so his clone could have a better Mana Body.

    No, he wanted to replace his main body¡¯s Mana Body.

    The recent experience of almost dying weighed heavily on Keith¡¯s mind, and he now felt a deep desire to grow strong enough to make sure it never happened again.

    Knowing that many would jump at the opportunity to gain an improved Mana Body in exchange for enduring some pain, Keith grew decisive.

    After meditating to recover his stamina, Keith¡¯s senses focused inward on his left arm and, mustering his mental strength, yanked at the arrays wrapped around his bones.

    ¡°AGH!¡± Keith released a heart-wrenching scream, his face draining of blood.

    Agony.

    Unbelievable agony.

    It was like countless daggers dug into every nerve in his arm, slicing them into bits. The pain was viciously sharp, and whatever organ allowed Keith to sense mana took on the brunt of it.

    Keith desperately wanted to let go of the half-removed arrays in his left arm, and though his will wavered, wanting to give up, he held firm when he recalled the scenes of Isuni severing his hand and the resulting chase where he nearly died.

    Gritting his teeth, Keith tightened his mental hold over the arrays in his arm and pulled hard. The world spun around him as a deafening headache assaulted his mind. He saw the arrays loosen and knew he was almost there. With one last yank, they came free, and the resulting pain shook him to his core.

    Success!

    Laying flat on the hardwood floor, Keith gasped for breath, his body shivering as the pain slowly resided. Eventually, he gathered enough strength to stand up, and wobbling over to the bathroom, he leaned against the wall and took a freezing shower, using the cold to shroud the pain.

    Half an hour later, Keith returned to the Tranquility array and sat down.

    He looked inward and found the detached Mana Body in his left arm. Parts of it had broken, with mana dissipating. Keith guessed that having destabilized arrays floating within his body might be dangerous, so he needed to carry on and quickly remove the rest.

    Taking a deep breath, Keith focused on his left leg and began removing his Mana Body. During the process, every moment felt like hours. A voice whispered in his mind, telling him that stopping would make the pain disappear.

    Rather than give up, a rare stubbornness took root in Keith¡¯s soul, using the pain as a whetstone to sharpen his will.

    Finally, the pain subsided, signifying that he succeeded again.

    It took Keith almost an hour to recover the first time, while it only took 45 minutes this time. After taking another shower, he moved onto his right arm and then his right leg. Although it didn¡¯t get easier, Keith¡¯s tempered will shortened the recovery time.

    When all that remained was the torso and head, Keith¡¯s expression was placid as he removed the Mana Body in one go and tossed it out of his body, at which point it fell apart.

    With the job complete, Keith¡¯s eyelids grew heavy, and he fell over, unconscious.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34

    Keith fell into a deep slumber, such that he didn¡¯t stir even when someone shook him repeatedly. His dreams were horrible nightmares. In one, Orcus had swallowed Keith whole, and he drowned in a pool of gastric juices, decomposing. In another, he wandered in a sea of fog, lost and hunted by strange fish-like creatures.

    Eventually, lucidity tore through the dreams, and Keith awoke, finding himself back in his bedroom. For a time, he lay still, staring at the ceiling, until he realized he had a warm rag on his forehead.

    The puzzlement of how the rag got there stirred his mind into wakefulness.

    Someone had been taking care of him.

    Keith knew who upon sweeping outward with his mana vision ¨C his mother.

    She was currently on the couch in the living room, a book in one hand and alcohol in the other. With a warm feeling in his heart, Keith glanced at the time and saw it was almost afternoon. He tried to get up when a wave of weakness assailed him.

    Frowning, he sensed the state of his body and understood he wasn¡¯t sick; he was missing the boosts from a Mana Body. Without it, he felt much, much weaker. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say he had lost almost half his combat power.

    A Mana Body is so important, Keith thought, growing excited.

    Now that he had endured the process of removing his Mana Body, he could finally reap the fruits of his labor and form an even better one.

    Keith ignored the sense of weakness and climbed out of bed.

    After changing into fresh clothes, he checked his magic tablet and was startled to find three days had passed. Sighing in irritation at the lost time, he headed downstairs and entered the living room.

    Mariane glanced up, expressing relief at the sight of Keith. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Keith sat down beside her. ¡°I overexerted myself.¡±

    Mariane was about to hug Keith but scoffed when she heard his reply. ¡°What could you have possibly done to sleep for three days? You didn¡¯t wake up even if I shook you!¡±

    Keith scowled, ¡°What do you mean you shook me? Is that how you treat a sick person?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Mariane glanced away. ¡°I was worried, you know¡­¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Keith suddenly felt bad for making his mother anxious.

    Mariane faked a snort. ¡°This makes it twice you¡¯ve unexpectedly fallen unconscious. Are you trying to make it a habit?¡±

    Keith laughed. ¡°Of course not.¡±

    ¡°So? What did you do this time?¡± Mariane pressed, curious.

    ¡°I removed my Mana Body,¡± Keith stated.

    Mariane didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Why would that cause such a problem?¡±

    Keith smiled. ¡°Try it yourself.¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Mariane wasn¡¯t one to back down from a challenge. Closing her eyes, she tried pulling at her Mana Body and immediately hissed. ¡°What the slimeballs.¡±

    ¡°See,¡± Keith snickered.

    ¡°That bloody hurt, you brat,¡± Mariane playfully punched Keith¡¯s arm. She continued with a question, ¡°I still don¡¯t get why you wanted to remove your Mana Body. Didn¡¯t you have a transcendent grade one?¡±

    Keith shrugged. ¡°I found a way to improve it.¡±

    Mariane looked deeply at her son, wondering what happened to make him want to endure such great pain. She felt like he was hiding something from her. Of course, Keith hadn¡¯t told her he almost died to prevent her from worrying.

    Being stared at by Mariane, Keith didn¡¯t budge, maintaining a smile. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Mariane didn¡¯t press further.

    ¡°When did you come over?¡± Keith changed the topic.

    Mariane huffed. ¡°Two days ago. An important change is happening, and I wanted to know what you wanted to do. I came when you didn¡¯t respond to my messages.¡±

    ¡°What change?¡± Keith''s thoughts turned toward the Elemental Nation.

    ¡°It¡¯s like this¡­¡± Mariane began explaining about the alliance between the Innate and Elemental Nations and the requirement that the Innate Nation had to defend half of the Blockade. She paused, then said, ¡°Your father and Ska¡¯dur have already brought a million troops to familiarize themselves with the Blockade. Another two million will go over in five days, and another seven million two days after that.¡±

    Keith was surprised by the news. Things were moving so quickly.

    ¡°Your aunt and I are mobilizing during the second wave. Do you want to join us or stay here?¡± Mariane asked slowly.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go!¡± Keith answered without the slightest hesitation.

    ¡°Are you certain?¡± Mariane¡¯s expression was full of concern. ¡°I heard that Tyranus sends over twenty million monsters to attack the Blockade daily. It¡¯ll be very dangerous.¡±

    ¡°That many!?¡± Keith¡¯s eyes lit up, thinking of how much experience that was. He wasn¡¯t like everyone else ¨C he had over twenty-five million mana to work with every few days.

    With his ability to multicast, the Blockade was a place where his level could skyrocket.

    Keith wouldn¡¯t have to waste time searching for monsters; they would come to him.

    How great was that?

    Unlike Keith, Mariane was conflicted, saying sadly, ¡°You¡¯ve changed.¡±

    Keith rolled his eyes. ¡°People change all the time.¡±

    Mariane fell silent, turning unresponsive.

    ¡°Oh, come on,¡± Keith shoved her gently.

    Mariane sighed and downed the rest of her drink, seemingly accepting that Keith was no longer a child. Standing up, she stretched and said, ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll leave now that you¡¯re fine. I need to prepare. You should, too. Who knows how long we¡¯ll be gone.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Keith followed her to the door and waved goodbye.

    Once Mariane teleported away, Keith ate food to sate his hunger and drank some elixirs. Afterward, he withdrew the Heart Calming Tea from his inventory and sat inside the Tranquility array.

    It was time to form his improved Mana Body.

    Keith spent a short period adjusting his mental state, then swallowed the Heart Calming Tea.

    By now, Keith was very familiar with the Mana Body Frisk designed, and with his Mana Manipulation skill at level 743, he drew one array after another with expertise. Feeling confident, he formed the Mana Body in record time.

    The moment he finished, it latched onto his skeletal frame and integrated with his body.

    At the same time, a surge of power coursed through Keith as a notification informed him the Mana Body had a completion rate of 152%.

    Suddenly, a blue shimmer caught his eye.

    Keith raised his arm and found an almost imperceptible layer of mana coating the surface of his body. If he didn¡¯t look closely, he wouldn¡¯t have spotted it.

    Standing up, Keith inspected his status panel.

    [Keith Walker]

    Level: 670

    Age: 24

    Titles: Mana Lifeform, Divine Grade Adventurer, +18 others

    Health: 345,000 -> 412,000

    Mana: 951,000 -> 1,430,000

    Strength: 9,510 -> 11,432

    Agility: 9,712 ->11,879

    Intelligence: 14,481 -> 17,781

    Vitality: 10,367 -> 12,499

    Endurance: 10,229 -> 12,345

    Skills: Quickdraw, Arsenal of the Desert, +258 others

    <u> </u>

    Keith was immensely satisfied upon seeing his stats.

    Not long ago, he had asked for the details of Markus and Ska¡¯dur¡¯s stats to compare himself to them. Even though they didn¡¯t have a Mana Body back then, Keith¡¯s current stats had surpassed theirs. Both Markus and Ska¡¯dur had Mana Bodies now, so Keith wasn¡¯t sure what their stats looked like nowadays.

    Thinking of the Blockade, Keith¡¯s eyes lit up, knowing that he¡¯d have the chance to surpass them in levels by going there. Until then, he¡¯d take the next five days to relax and prepare food, backup equipment, and other necessities.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35

    Five days passed in the blink of an eye.

    A solemn weight hung over New Hope, with the city lacking its usual bustling atmosphere. Earlier in the week, Markus led a million troops to the Blockade, leading to a sharp decrease in the city¡¯s population.

    Currently, Keith followed Mariane and Serilla through the streets of New Hope, their destination being the military base inside the mountain behind the city.

    The identities of all three were very special.

    Mariane was the descendant of a Guardian and wife to the High Commander, Serilla was a special ops agent with many accomplishments, and Keith was the grandson of Yara, the hidden leader of the Innate Nation, as well as the son of the High Commander.

    As such, even though the military decided not to seek help from any adventurer teams for the mission of guarding the Blockade, Keith and Mariane could still tag along.

    Upon entering the military compound, Serilla used her identity to get them through several restricted areas. After passing through one underground hallway after another, the view opened up as they walked into an enormous hanger.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Keith¡¯s eyes widened in awe at what he saw.

    Lights hung from the ceiling, shining down on 2,000 docked Silverswift Skyships. These were the newest models and far surpassed anything the Innate Nation had built in the past. Each one was the size of a mansion, made from metal, and possessed a variety of weapons. Arrays practically covered them from head to toe, making them glow as if they were a treasure.

    By the time Keith¡¯s party arrived, the two million troops heading to the Blockade had almost finished boarding the Skyships.

    At that moment, a middle-aged elven woman from Umbra approached. She wore numerous medals on her uniform and would be the attendant of Keith¡¯s group during the journey. Saluting respectfully, she said, ¡°I¡¯m Litra. This way, please.¡±

    Keith followed at the back as they made their way through the hangar and onto one of the Skyships. For this operation, 1,000 troops would ride each Skyship, and considering their size, it was a little crowded. Most of the soldiers were on the lower decks, with the lucky ones able to stand on the top deck.

    The Silver Skyship they boarded was meant for non-combat personnel, meaning artisans, doctors, cooks, etc. Litra led them to an unoccupied corner on the deck and explained, ¡°We¡¯re setting off in 29 minutes, and the journey will take 40 hours. We¡¯ll stop to sleep overnight. Any questions?¡±

    Keith promptly asked, ¡°How fast do these Skyships go?¡±

    ¡°Their speed should surpass most divine grade mounts,¡± Litra answered.

    ¡°Dang,¡± Keith clicked his tongue in wonder.

    Mariane had a worried expression. ¡°What news from the Blockade?¡±

    Litra glanced around before responding in a lowered voice, ¡°Tensions are high. The Elemental Nation¡¯s people are unscrupulous and provoke us repeatedly.¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°Have any fights broken out?¡± Mariane¡¯s face hardened.

    ¡°There have been several duels, most of which we¡¯ve lost,¡± Litra sighed, continuing, ¡°Our levels and equipment are too far behind the Elemental Nation.¡±

    ¡°Not for long,¡± Serilla remarked cooly.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Litra agreed.

    There was a moment of silence before Keith asked another question, ¡°What are the standards of the Elemental Nation¡¯s arrays? How much do they rely on them to defend the Blockade?¡±

    Litra thought briefly. ¡°Not much. The Elemental Nation developed in a different direction than us. They specialize in the comprehension of their innate gift. For them, if they have the same element, fusing their power is easy.¡±

    A dwarf standing nearby chimed in, ¡°Bah, when they see our fleet of Silverswift Skyships in action, they¡¯ll regret not focusing on the arts.¡±

    ¡°Well said,¡± Keith grinned and gave a thumbs up.

    The dwarf smiled widely, ¡°I¡¯m a blacksmith. Lad, what do you specialize in?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m studying arrays,¡± Keith answered, and pointing at his feet, asked, ¡°Did you design this ship?¡±

    ¡°A helped a bit,¡± the dwarf caressed his beard with a proud expression.

    For the next thirty minutes, both Keith and the dwarf discussed their line of work, with the dwarf doing most of the talking.

    Eventually, the hangar door opened, and the 2,000 Silverswift Skyships lifted off, flying in formation into the skies. Keith turned to look at the magnificent sight, branding it into his memory.

    The following hours were boring for Serilla and Mariane, but not for Keith. He spent the time making acquaintances with the craftspeople on the ship. All of them were the best of their trade and weren¡¯t hesitant about boasting about their recent creations. It was an eye-opener for Keith, who mostly kept to himself.

    When night fell, they cleared out all the monsters in a local mountain range and landed, setting up thousands of tents in the surroundings. Everyone slept till morning before soaring into the skies once again.

    Around noon, Litra attracted Mariane, Serilla, and Keith¡¯s attention. Pointing into the distance, she said, ¡°There, do you see it? That¡¯s the Grandsky Plains ¨C a barren land the size of five zones directly in the center of the Grandsky Realm. Historically, it¡¯s been the location where the Elemental, Sin, and Conceptual dimensions waged war.¡±

    ¡°What about now?¡± Keith asked, looking ahead, barely able to see an endless field of withered grass.

    Litra took out a map of the Grandsky Realm, gesturing to the southeastern corner, colored red. ¡°From here, Tyranus rounds up all the newly spawned monsters and sends them across the Grandsky Plains, attacking the borders of the Elemental Nation. In a few minutes, you should be able to see the Blockade, a massive wall spanning five zones. That¡¯s where the Elemental Nation holds back Tyranus¡¯ monster horde.¡±

    Shortly after Litra¡¯s explanation, Keith saw it.

    A wall unlike any other.

    Constructed purely from a metal alloy, it snaked along the northwestern edge of the Grandsky Plains, towering over a hundred feet high and fifty feet thick for miles on end. Most striking to Keith was the dried blood coating the ground in front of the entire Blockade. It was like a deity had painted the fields red with the strokes of their brush.

    At the moment the Blockade appeared, the Silverswift fleet dropped in speed, not wanting to reveal their full capabilities in front of the Elemental Nation.

    Currently, there was no monster in sight, and since the System regenerated any disfigured terrain, there were no signs of destruction.

    The Blockade was the only thing damaged.

    As the fleet neared, Keith saw thousands of laborers flying along the wall, repairing what they could. Based on what he could tell, there wasn¡¯t much structural damage. What he didn¡¯t know was that the Elemental Nation had been repairing the Blockade non-stop since yesterday¡¯s monster wave ended.

    Litra glanced at her watch, informing Keith¡¯s group, ¡°The next monster wave should be arriving within three hours.¡±

    In minutes, the Silverswift fleet arrived behind the westernmost section of the Blockade.

    It was there that Markus¡¯s million-strong army was stationed.

    Although they had left three days ago, they had spent their time at the Blockade observing the situation and learning what they could before they replaced a portion of the Elemental Nation¡¯s forces.

    Behind the Blockade, Keith saw the initial makings of a military base, mostly barracks, armories, and warehouses. The fleet landed on an open field, with the two million troops disembarking soon after.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36

    Inside a recently built command center, Markus, Ska¡¯dur, and many high-ranking military officials surrounded a table with a map of the Grandsky Plains across its surface.

    A grey stripe divided into 40 sections represented the Blockade. Each section had a name - B1, B2, B3, etc. B1 was on the easternmost section, and B40 was on the westernmost.

    Major General Luca, wearing a light armor set and a bow strapped to her back, said, ¡°In four days, we¡¯ll take over sections B21 to B40, which is about 300 miles.¡±

    Markus stood with crossed arms as he nodded. ¡°Are there teleportation arrays already in place?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Major General Luca frowned in displeasure. ¡°However, the Elemental¡¯s military set them up, and I¡¯m worried they¡¯ll remove them.¡±

    Markus chuckled, ¡°No matter. Make sure we have enough teleportation arrays premade for the swap.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± Major General Luca responded, already starting their production yesterday.

    As the conversation continued, Ska¡¯dur stood at Markus¡¯ side, bored out of his mind. The talk of logistics, making sure there were enough rations, how to repair the wall, how to pick up the loot after the battle, equipment maintenance, and everything else that went into defending the Blockade went in one ear and out the other.

    During the meeting, he occasionally glared at Markus out of the corner of his eye, irritated that the latter had made him arrive at the Blockade so early. Not only couldn¡¯t he fight, but he was now one of the leaders of the military and was coerced by peer pressure to attend these mind-numbingly dull meetings.

    Finally, after what felt like an eternity, one of Markus¡¯ aides barged into the meeting, reporting, ¡°Sir, today¡¯s monster wave is starting.¡±

    ¡°Great!¡± Ska¡¯dur responded first, rushing out of the room before anyone could blink.

    Major General Luca sighed helplessly and walked out along with everyone else.

    Leaving the command center, they saw the two million new troops that had arrived earlier, plus the one million who had been here for several days, already spectating in the air.

    Some relied on the Flight skill, while others used flying mounts.

    There was a stark contrast between the behaviors of the new and old troops.

    Those who had been here and witnessed the monster wave several times had solemn expressions, while those who had just arrived looked excited and full of anticipation. They all hovered in the air about half a mile behind the Blockade. With their superhuman stats, they could see for miles without issue.

    Atop Blockade section B40, countless combatants from the Elemental Nation stood in formation. The troops guarding section B31-40 were subordinate to Tal Vapor, one of the four rulers of the Elemental Nation. Their standard armor had blue patterns, representing their water element innate gift.

    At that moment, a cloud of dust spanning the horizon appeared in the distance, and the ground started trembling ever so faintly, indicating that the monster horde was nearing.

    In unison, the combatants atop the Blockade summoned monster pets specialized in ranged attacks, instantly doubling the number of defenders. The pets were all water elementals and came in all shapes and sizes.

    In the spectating crowd, Keith hovered next to his mom and aunt, observing peculiar movements from some teams on the Blockade. Atop raised platforms, groups of five formed a circle, channeling their mana into a person standing in the middle. The fusion ability that Litra mentioned earlier crossed his mind.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    In minutes, the cloud of dust grew closer, and people could now start making out shapes of monsters galloping at full speed. They ran shoulder to shoulder, packed to the brim. There were tens of thousands from just what was visible outside the dust cloud, with who knew how many more within.

    The monsters originated from dozens of different zones. Some were massive, the size of a house, while others were as tiny as a rat. They consisted of animals, undead, elementals, golems, gnolls, ogres, yetis, centaurs, ghosts, goblins, cyclops, and many more species. There were too many different monsters.

    The closer they got, the more intimidating they seemed.

    At some point, Keith used Inspect to identify the monster''s levels, and what he saw gave him a wake-up call. He initially thought they wouldn¡¯t be so high, maybe around level 600 to 700, but he couldn¡¯t be more wrong.

    Level 600 was just the starting point.

    Most monsters had levels ranging from 650-750, with a minority surpassing 800. There were even a few around levels 850-900. As for those above level 900, Keith didn¡¯t see any.

    Most importantly, the difference between a level 885 monster and a level 650 monster was the difference between the System and the Grandsky Realm. There was no comparison.

    (Mythic) Grim Gnoll Warrior ¨C Level 650

    Health: 2,500,000/2,500,000

    (Divine) Undead Bone Behemoth ¨C Level 885

    Health: 135,000,000/135,000,000

    Based on health alone, the Undead Bone Behemoth had over 40 times more health than the Grim Gnoll Warrior. From that, it was easy to guess how high its other stats were.

    What horrified Keith was that the Undead Bone Behemoth had more health than Orcus, a Monster Lord. Worse, the Undead Bone Behemoth wasn¡¯t the only level 885 monster he could see. There were five with similar levels in his line of sight alone. Considering the length of the Blockade, there had to be hundreds of monsters above level 850.

    By the time the monster horde was a mile away, a commotion came from atop the Blockade, massive water spheres rising from the groups fusing their powers. There were hundreds in total. Floating above the Blockade, they started spinning rapidly.

    In seconds, the monster horde was within firing range.

    WHOOSH!

    Thin tendrils of water extended out from the water spheres, reaching hundreds of feet and lashing at the monster horde so fast that Keith could only see a blur.

    Once, twice, thrice¡­

    The water whips attacked multiple times a second, ripping apart the ground and monster horde alike. One water whip bisected a level 650 gnoll and two other unlucky monsters in one slash. Another severed the limb of a level 735 scorpion.

    The hundreds of water whips combined unleashed complete devastation, killing thousands of monsters every passing moment.

    Although they held most of the monster horde at bay, a few higher-level monsters either avoided or endured the water whips and rushed forward, arriving within two hundred feet of the Blockade.

    At that time, soldiers from the Elemental military¡¯s defenders rushed out to greet them. Keith¡¯s eyes widened in shock when he saw one particular soldier envelop themselves in water, forming a humanoid water elemental and knocking back the Undead Bone Behemoth with a punch.

    What level is that person? Keith wondered, alarmed by their power.

    The other soldiers who left the protection of the Blockade were no slouch either. They slayed one high-level monster after another, either alone or working together, including the Undead Bone Behemoth.

    For two hours, the silly-looking water spheres wreaked havoc amongst the endless monster horde, and the most powerful of the defenders felled any high-level monsters that got too close. Whenever the team channeling the water spheres ran out of energy, a new group replaced them.

    When the monster horde had thinned considerably, the water spheres transformed, enveloping their casters inside and forming a humanoid water elemental several stories high. The titan elementals leaped off the Blockade and smashed into the remaining monsters, kicking and punching while tendrils of water whipped chaotically.

    At last, the final monster died half an hour later.

    Small mountains of loot were the only thing that remained, and the battlefield, riddled with craters and ravines, slowly recovered under a mysterious power.

    Behind the Blockade, many among the Innate Nation had grim expressions after watching the fierce battle. While hardly anyone among the Elemental¡¯s military died, that was because they were sufficiently powerful. The Innate¡¯s military had many methods to handle the weaker monsters, but not those like the Undead Bone Behemoth.

    Markus and Ska¡¯dur could maybe hold back one or two monsters at that level, but what about the dozens of others? Would they make their way into the backline and start a massacre?

    Everyone¡¯s thoughts were the same.

    If their leadership weren¡¯t hiding some trump cards, there would be heavy losses when they started defending the Blockade. After all, the Innate Nation didn¡¯t have enough time to develop.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37

    Keith¡¯s eyes glittered like stars.

    For miles on end, mountains of loot piled up alongside the Blockade, dropped by millions of monsters. There were boundless quantities of gold coins, materials, skill gems, monster pet eggs, elixirs, and equipment. It was more loot than Keith had ever seen in his entire life, all sitting there, ownerless.

    A part of him wanted to call out the command for his Collection Grimoire to swallow it up. He could instantly reach Ska¡¯dur¡¯s power level in one go, and all it took was one word.

    For a moment, Keith¡¯s greed almost overcame his sanity, though he held back in the end. Stealing all that loot from the Elemental Nation¡¯s mouth would result in catastrophic consequences. Plus, it didn¡¯t feel right.

    ***

    With the battle over, the Innate¡¯s military returned to the ground. The new arrivals still had to settle in and familiarize themselves with their new environment.

    After a short period, Major General Luca entered one of the base¡¯s empty warehouses alongside a group of recently arrived officers. One of them stepped out and handed Major General Luca a briefcase. ¡°It¡¯s all in here, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Major General Luca was relieved.

    She opened the briefcase on a nearby table and saw a hundred mythic grade Pocket Dimensions in the shape of cubes inside. The total value of what they contained was immeasurable.

    Turning to her aide, she ordered, ¡°Mobilize some people and start unpacking the Pocket Dimensions.¡±

    ¡°Right away, ma¡¯am,¡± the aide saluted.

    ***

    In another location, Ska¡¯dur faced Markus, asking, ¡°So? Are you planning on using those Laegur Beam Cannons during the defense?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Markus replied, shaking his head. ¡°They¡¯re too powerful. I worry about what the Elementals will do when they see them in action. For now, the cannons will remain secret.¡±

    Ska¡¯dur pursed his lips. ¡°We¡¯ll lose too many people without those things. Don¡¯t tell me you plan on using Mana Reactors as bombs?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. What we¡¯ll rely on to weather through the first few days should have arrived not long ago,¡± Markus explained vaguely.

    ¡°Tch, fine. Keep me in suspense. I¡¯m not worried,¡± Ska¡¯dur spat, rolling his eyes.

    Even after witnessing several days of battle at the Blockade, Markus showed no signs of anxiety. He knew that while his loyal soldiers lacked levels, high-grade skills, and high-grade equipment, the Innate Nation had another resource to use that the Elemental Nation lacked.

    Their industry!

    The standard of the Innate Nation¡¯s blacksmithing, alchemy, arrays, science, and technology far surpassed the Elemental Nation. When the brightest minds came together combined with unlimited funding, what they came up with was terrifying.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    And so, besides the Laegur Beam Cannon and Skynet, the military had many other tools and weapons hidden from the public eye. Specifically meant for war, they would invoke outrage among the masses if used during peaceful times.

    That was the source of Markus¡¯ confidence.

    The only issue with using those weapons was that whatever they killed granted no experience. If you threw a grenade into a pack of monsters, killing a dozen, you would acquire loot and nothing else. However, you¡¯d get experience if the grenade wounded the monsters and you finished them off yourself.

    Markus knew that relying solely on external tools to carry them through the Blockade¡¯s defense was foolish, akin to shooting themselves in the foot. Levels were too important to pass by.

    A balance was needed.

    ***

    Over the following period, the Innate¡¯s military constructed ten bases spread out between sections B21 through B40. Consisting of mostly living quarters, it was more than enough for ten million troops to garrison. There were also the necessary facilities for the thousands of craftspeople stationed at the bases to do their work.

    The next wave of troops came on the second day after Keith arrived.

    Yara came with them, wearing a mask the entire time. She didn¡¯t want to expose her identity. Elaine was once the strategic brain of the Conceptual Nation¡¯s military, so if the Elemental Nation knew that Yara backed the Innate Nation, who knew what their response would be?

    Yara found Keith shortly after she arrived.

    Together, they sat on the Blockade, feet dangling off the edge.

    ¡°Time for some fun,¡± Yara chuckled and withdrew the Innate Dimension Core from her inventory. Using it, she spent several hours setting up a large-scale event. During the Blockade¡¯s defense, the System would automatically calculate everybody''s contribution, hand out points, and operate the exchange shop. Yara was in total control of all the parameters.

    While watching Yara, Keith was stunned by some of the rewards he saw.

    Not only were a Mana Reactor and multiple Silverswift Skyships available for exchange, but dozens of divine grade skill gems were also available. There were even slots to use a time-accelerated Pocket Dimension.

    Secretly satisfied by Keith¡¯s expression, Yara sighed dramatically, ¡°Sadly, I don¡¯t know what the monsters will drop during the defense. If I knew, the exchange shop would be even more spectacular. Celestial grade equipment, skill gems, or elixirs are highly possible.¡±

    Initially excited, Keith suddenly thought of something and fell silent.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Yara inquired, full of concern.

    ¡°Grandma, how many people do you think will die tomorrow?¡± Keith asked quietly, having a unique perspective after watching Yara set up the event. Although the event¡¯s rewards were amazing, they were unprecedented for a reason. The battle tomorrow involved a great deal of risk. He almost felt like she was baiting the Innate Nation¡¯s soldiers to their deaths by enticing them with rewards.

    In response to Keith, Yara replied calmly, ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°Well, how many have the Elementals lost over the years?¡± Keith followed with another question.

    Yara looked at the sky, saying, ¡°Centuries ago, the Elementals had a population of over two billion. It¡¯s about 650 million now.¡±

    Keith was shocked.

    Doing the math, he exclaimed, ¡°That means they lost around 7,000 people every day during the last 500 years!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not just from the Blockade. The natives of the Sin Dimension are a scourge; they kill and hunt people from other dimensions without regard for their lives,¡± Yara explained, her expression darkening.

    Keith recalled his encounter with the demon squad in the Foggy Marsh as Yara continued, ¡°The Elemental Nation is in the way between the Sins and us. We don¡¯t have to worry about them.¡±

    ¡°Even then¡­¡± Keith felt conflicted. ¡°Did we really have to accept the responsibility of guarding the Blockade for a decade?¡±

    Yara didn¡¯t hesitate in her response and said, ¡°Of course. Did you think the Elemental Nation would let us stay in their backyard without paying a price? Don¡¯t be foolish.¡±

    ¡°But don¡¯t they know we¡¯ll use the monster hordes as a whetstone to catch up in strength? Aren¡¯t they concerned?¡± Keith voiced his confusion.

    Yara nodded. ¡°They don¡¯t have a better option.¡±

    Glancing at Keith, Yara posed a question, ¡°What do you think Torg and the other rulers will do when half their forces are relieved from defending the Blockade?¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± Keith gasped. He hadn¡¯t thought of that.

    Yara lowered her voice. ¡°The Elemental Nation is fed up with the Sin Dimension. Their conflict will only end when one disappears.¡±

    After a moment, Keith sighed heavily, ¡°Everyone is using each other to further their own ends¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the Grandsky Realm for you,¡± Yara laughed.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38

    Three days went by.

    Once the Elementals thwarted Tyranus¡¯ monster horde for the day and cleaned up the battlefield, the Innate¡¯s military began a massive operation. They had less than twenty hours before tomorrow¡¯s monster horde attacked, and before then, they needed to finish several projects.

    Among them, teams of array masters set up a network of teleportation arrays along the Blockade, leaving no blind spots. If any section needed reinforcements, troops could arrive in seconds.

    The array masters also placed thousands of mythic grade Mana Gathering arrays behind the Blockade to power whatever they needed.

    Next were craftspeople, who installed platforms on the Blockade, where Mana Bolt Turrets, Fire Bomb Cannons, Lightning Arc Towers, and other artillery would sit. There were weapons of every element to take advantage of specific monster¡¯s weaknesses.

    Besides the array masters and craftspeople, hundreds of teams walked through the Grandsky Plains, placing metal contraptions in the holes they dug. The contraptions were the size of a boulder and square-shaped, with a small opening on each side. After placing the contraption in the hole, they filled the hole with dirt, hiding the device within.

    In total, hundreds of thousands of people worked tirelessly, and though time was short, they managed to finish their jobs an hour before the monster horde appeared.

    Unknown arrays now covered the front of the Blockade from top to bottom.

    Connected to the wall in the back were pipes pumping condensed mana produced by the Mana Gathering arrays, leading to both the arrays on the Blockade and the turrets on top. Behind, there were mortars with their barrels aimed high.

    The Innate Military was mobilizing three million troops for today¡¯s defense.

    If everything went well, there would be three rotations, with one million troops acting as an emergency reserve.

    At this moment, Keith stood atop the Blockade, utterly nervous.

    When he looked to his sides, all he saw were soldiers wearing the standard armor of the Innate¡¯s military. He happened to meet the gaze of a young orc and saw they were just as anxious as he was. They nodded at each other before turning away.

    Like everyone else, Keith waited as the minutes went by.

    Although the Grandsky Plains had a perpetually clear sky, today was unbearably hot, so Keith drank some water to cool down when he felt the slightest vibration in the ground.

    They¡¯re here, Keith thought as a familiar cloud of dust rose in the distance.

    The trembling grew stronger with every passing moment, and soon everyone¡¯s armor rattled. Keith''s superhuman eyesight allowed him to see the monster horde as if they were right in front of him, and the sight gave him jitters.

    For the past three days, he had watched the Elementals fight against the monster horde, but now that it was his turn, he started having second thoughts upon losing count of how many monsters there were.

    Seemingly sensing Keith¡¯s weakness, a commanding voice from behind called out, ¡°Stand firm and trust in your comrades! We hold the advantage!¡±

    Followed by the voice was a notification.

    You have been affected by the skill, Warcry.

    Your courage in the face of danger has increased.

    Keith gradually calmed down under the skill¡¯s effect and regained his confidence.

    A minute later, when the monster horde was almost upon them, several voices along the Blockade rang out, ¡°Buffs! Cast buffs!¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    In seconds, a dozen spells from the support teams empowered Keith¡¯s various parameters, doubling his power. The buffs weren¡¯t just for him but all the troops on the wall.

    At that moment, resounding booms rang out from the mortars in the back.

    Thousands of explosive rounds rained down upon the monster horde. Shrapnel flew everywhere. The sharp bits of jagged metal embedded themselves in the monster¡¯s flesh, making them bleed profusely. A few monsters tumbled to the ground and got trampled to death.

    Roaring, the monster horde continued their mad rush, ignoring the damage dealt by the continuous mortar fire. When they were within a thousand feet of the Blockade, the commanding officers on the wall shouted, ¡°All artillery, fire!¡±

    Keith¡¯s hair stood on end as a nearby Lightning Arc Tower powered up.

    Aimed by a trained soldier, the turret released a bolt of lightning that instantly collided with a plant-type Caustic Deathweed, singing half its body black before bouncing to a dozen other monsters.

    All sorts of colors flashed as hundreds of other turrets within Keith¡¯s vicinity fired simultaneously. Under deliberate aim, they severely wounded thousands of monsters.

    ¡°Fire at will!¡± An officer ordered, signaling the troops atop the Blockade to attack.

    If the artillery from before produced a variety of colors, then when the army cast their long-ranged skills, the effects were blinding.

    Unlike the Elementals, the Innate Nation used all sorts of skills.

    Firebomb, Chain Lightning, Windstorm, Meteor, Earthquake, Rain of Fire, Lightning Spear, Water Whip, Poison Arrow, Light Javelin, Dark Bomb, etc.

    There were hundreds of different skills.

    Keith was among those attacking.

    Targeting a divine grade level 750 Undead Champion, he multicast Chain Lightning, taking away the rest of its health and killing fifty other monsters. In a battle like this, Chain Lightning proved invaluable, with a single multicast netting Keith 14% experience in his current level.

    There was a brief pause as Keith looked forward expectantly, trying to peer through the wall of skill effects that obscured the monster horde. He thought that since he had killed dozens of monsters, the others had killed a lot, too.

    However, his expression turned grim when the monster horde appeared once more, seemingly unharmed.

    There are too many, Keith thought, aghast by how the monster horde had barely thinned. It was like the army¡¯s attack did nothing.

    ¡°Don¡¯t falter!¡± An officer shouted. ¡°Continue attacking!¡±

    By now, the monster horde was within a hundred feet, their numbers vast.

    Suddenly, Keith¡¯s mana senses picked up a change at his feet.

    The arrays inscribed on the front of the Blockade thrummed as they came to life.

    Vibrating intensely, they activated when the monster horde was a mere arm''s length away. For a brief moment, the monster horde stopped as an invisible force washed over them.

    Then, as if gravity reversed, they flew backward, colliding with one another as the Repulsion arrays knocked the monsters back. Confused roars and yelps rang out as the monsters from the front piled onto those into the back, forming small hills.

    Right then, the contraptions hidden earlier activated, spewing murky green gas out of the ground. Painful cries came from the monster horde as soon as the gas encompassed them. Keith watched, alarmed, as their flesh melted in seconds. Most disgusting was how their eyes turned gooey and slid out of their eyesockets.

    However, not all of the monsters were composed of flesh and blood. Many were of the undead and elemental variety. The corrosive gas did nothing to them.

    ¡°Continue attacking!¡± The commanding officers shouted, waking Keith and the others from their stupor.

    The gas had severely wounded most of the monster horde, though it wasn¡¯t enough to snuff out their lives. It was the perfect chance for the Innate¡¯s army to harvest a colossal amount of experience.

    Keith took advantage of this opportunity to multicast all his skills which affected a large area. Small Meteor, Meteor, Chain Lightning, Entangling Roots. He held nothing back and consumed millions of mana in one go.

    One level¡­

    Two levels¡­

    Keith gained three levels in less than ten seconds, slaying thousands of monsters single-handedly. The rest of the army gained a level or two as well. Not everyone was like Keith, who had Mana Battery.

    Eventually, the corrosive gas dissipated, and the monster horde continued their assault.

    The Repulsion arrays activated again, buying the defenders precious time to attack safely from a distance. Unfortunately, the arrays lost durability with every usage and broke apart after the fifth time.

    During that period, the monster horde lost a third of their numbers, with the remaining half severely wounded. Keith scanned the battlefield, finding that all the monsters above level 800 still had over 70% of their life left. Their defense was so high that twenty minutes of continuous attacks from the mortars, artillery, and army had barely dealt them any damage.

    The high-level monsters possessed intelligence far beyond normal monsters. When they saw the Repulsion arrays that had knocked them back repeatedly had broken down, they charged forward with renewed vigor.

    Keith¡¯s heart lurched when he saw a divine grade level 865 Undead Hydra sprinting in his direction. Looking left and right at his fellow countrypeople, he clenched his teeth and stepped forward to hold back the monster when a figure slew over Keith¡¯s head, beating him to the punch.

    It was a middle-aged female orc clad in heavy armor with a giant hammer in their hands. Under Keith¡¯s mana sense, he observed hundreds of thin lines connecting the orc to soldiers on the wall and was relieved she wasn¡¯t sending herself to their death. Keith hoped that the War array she was using would be enough to balance the scales.

    At the same time, countless other individuals using War arrays rushed out from the Blockade, intending to hold back the high-level monsters. If they succeeded, today¡¯s battle would end in victory.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39

    Sharn joined the military almost two hundred years ago as a young orc.

    Early in her career, her superiors noticed her talent and gave her the opportunity to join an elite legion within the military. Since then, she prepared for the opening of the Grandsky Realm, undergoing grueling training.

    It was all for this moment.

    The Undead Hydra she flew towards was the greatest foe she had faced in her entire life, and yet, she didn¡¯t hesitate to perform her duty. Power flowed out from the amulet around her neck and into her body, raising her stats to the point that she wouldn¡¯t die instantly.

    Rushing up to the undead monster, Sharn gripped her warhammer and swung fiercely.

    BANG!

    The sound of metal grinding against metal rang out as her weapon clashed with the Undead Hydra¡¯s claws. Sharn grunted and took two steps back, her warhammer almost flying out of her hands from the collision. From the looks of it, the stats of the Undead Hydra were slightly above hers, even with the War array.

    ¡°Again!¡± Sharn shouted, using Intimidating Cry, a skill that empowered her next attack and weakened her foes. Advancing, Sharn smashed her warhammer into the Undead Hydra¡¯s hand, knocking it aside and giving her a window to push forward.

    Just then, her Danger Perception skill warned her of an imminent threat.

    Sharn slid to a halt as the jaws of one of the Undead Hydra¡¯s heads snapped shut in front of her. Kicking off its nose, she jumped back and avoided the Undead Hydra¡¯s second head from crunching her to bits.

    Sharn¡¯s eyes widened in alarm as the third and final head arrived above her.

    Thinking quickly, Sharn manipulated her innate gift and increased her weight a thousandfold. She dropped to the ground, crushing the spine of the Warg Hound she landed on.

    Without delay, Sharn spun around, tossing her weapon toward the Undead Hydra.

    She transferred her innate gift¡¯s weight increase to the weapon a moment before it slammed into the monster.

    BANG!

    The Undead Hydra¡¯s chest caved in as it flew backward from the impact.

    Upon landing, the monster climbed to its feet, roaring angrily.

    When Sharn saw her attack had dealt 4% of the Undead Hydra¡¯s health, she knew she had a fighting chance. Recalling her weapon with a skill, she was about to rush forward when other monsters intruded on her duel with the Undead Hydra.

    WHOOSH!

    At that moment, a dozen enchanted weapons came from behind Sharn. They cleaved through the monsters surrounding her while roots burst out from the ground, pushing the monsters between her and the Undead Hydra aside.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Good!¡± Sharn charged forward and empowered herself with Last Stand, a skill that increased her defense depending on the number of enemies nearby. After a few steps, she jumped off the ground and flew high above the Undead Hydra.

    Leaning forward, she activated Heroic Descent.

    As she plummeted, she utilized her innate gift, increasing her weight to the limit.

    In response, the Undead Hydra raised a head and opened its jaws, wanting to swallow Sharn whole.

    Sharn showed no fear as she fell straight into the Undead Hydra¡¯s mouth, and due to her massive weight, she slammed into the back of its throat, blasting a hole straight through it. Her momentum carried on as she collided with the Undead Hydra¡¯s back.

    BANG!

    As if a mountain had landed atop the Undead Hydra, it sank into the ground, its bones cracking from the impact. A few even shattered.

    Although Sharn¡¯s innate gift increased her weight, it didn¡¯t affect her movements. While pinning the Undead Hydra to the ground with her body, she repeatedly smashed her warhammer into its spine, sending bone shards flying with every blow.

    Eventually, the spine gave way and broke down, turning the monster immobile.

    Just as Sharn was about to celebrate, the Undead Hydra split apart, turning into three Undead Serpents. Her joy was short-lived as they surrounded her.

    Meanwhile, back on the Blockade, Keith did his best to prevent any monsters from locking down Sharn. He was so distracted that he didn¡¯t notice the monster horde had reached the bottom of the Blockade.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let them damage the wall!¡± An officer shouted, startling Keith.

    To his left and right, soldiers bravely jumped off the ramparts and engaged in close-quarters combat with the monster horde. Keith¡¯s eyes grew bloodshot when he saw the intense fighting. The monsters outnumbered the defenders five to one, wounding many soldiers within a few clashes.

    Taking a breath, Keith recalled his conjured weapons, deciding to support the people below him instead of Sharn. He focused on maiming or crippling the monsters instead of going for the kill, wanting to alleviate as much pressure on the soldiers as he could.

    Thankfully, the celestial grade Arsenal of the Desert didn¡¯t disappoint Keith. Even though the monsters had a level advantage, it still cut through their flesh like a hot knife through butter. Keith¡¯s actions immediately gave the soldiers a breather.

    However, Keith was one person, and there was only so much he could do.

    As the fighting continued, Keith witnessed one death after another.

    Filled with self-blame, Keith glanced at his status, observing that he had spent five million mana so far. Initially, he planned to consume ten million mana a day, but with how terrible the battle was looking, he couldn¡¯t give a slimeball anymore.

    Keith pointed forward.

    A second later, fifteen Laegur Beam arrays appeared over the heads of the soldiers in front of the Blockade. Lined up in a row, they fired simultaneously, sending fifteen rays of death into the monster horde. Each beam pierced through a dozen monsters before running out of energy.

    For a moment, the fighting in the vicinity stopped.

    Everyone watched as a large section of the monster horde toppled over, dead.

    Keith felt his senses numb after consuming one and a half million mana.

    Yet he didn¡¯t stop there.

    Using Quickdraw once more, he conjured another fifteen Laegur Beam arrays in a different area where the fighting was severe.

    Again, another section of the monster horde dissipated, leaving behind loot.

    One time¡­

    Two times¡­

    Three times¡­

    Keith conjured thirteen waves of Laegur Beam arrays, wiping out almost all the monsters within his line of sight in exchange for almost twenty million mana.

    After performing such a spectacular feat that left all the nearby troops wide-eyed, Keith staggered and fell over, utterly exhausted. Spending so much mana left Keith feeling hollow as if someone had dug out the essence of his being.

    A nearby defender, a middle-aged elf woman, knelt beside Keith, asking loudly over the sounds of battle, ¡°Are you okay?!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m out of mana,¡± Keith replied in between breaths.

    ¡°Hang on,¡± the elf grabbed Keith¡¯s shoulder and hoisted him to his feet before helping him to the back of the ramparts, where a support unit took Keith off the Blockade. Keith¡¯s vision blurred as someone carried him to a medical tent behind the Blockade and placed him atop a makeshift bed.

    A nearby doctor approached, their eyes flashing with a blue hue. It only took them a moment to discern Keith¡¯s condition. Turning to a nurse, they said, ¡°He¡¯s almost acquired Mana Sickness. Let him rest.¡±

    At this point, Keith fell unconscious, unaware of what happened after.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40

    In section B34 of the Blockade, Keith¡¯s outburst caused a chain reaction.

    Wiping out tens of thousands of monsters allowed the defenders to assist Sharn in defeating the Undead Hydra. From there, they reinforced the adjacent sections, preventing them from being overrun.

    When the battle ended and the military tallied the casualties, they noticed section B34 ranked among those with the least deaths.

    Hours later, Keith awoke, finding himself inside a medical tent surrounded by wounded soldiers lying on beds. Many were missing limbs, and one even had half their body missing. Thankfully, they¡¯d regenerate as soon as their health recovered to full.

    Upon waking, a nearby nurse approached Keith, asking, ¡°How are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Keith stood up, feeling dizzy.

    ¡°Good,¡± the nurse scrutinized Keith and nodded. ¡°You¡¯re free to leave.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Keith smiled wearily and carefully walked out of the tent.

    In a few minutes, he returned to his assigned sleeping quarters, wanting nothing more than to lay down and rest. His body felt incredibly weak.

    Too bad there¡¯s no known method to recover from Mana Sickness, Keith inwardly thought.

    After entering his private room, Keith took out one of the luxurious meals he¡¯d stocked up beforehand in his Collection Grimoire. Each bite gave him some strength back, and he felt much better when he finished.

    Withdrawing his magic tablet from his inventory, Keith sent his mom a message, informing her that he was fine, then opened up the Blockade Event screen. Browsing through the details, he pulled up the ranking list and found his position.

    105!

    While Keith ranked near the top, he struggled to muster any excitement.

    How could he be happy when the scenes of people dying to the monster horde were fresh in his memory?

    It was too depressing.

    Sighing heavily, Keith laid on his back and rested his eyes, trying to quell any negative thoughts.

    Around ten minutes later, Keith sat back up and inspected his status.

    By casting so many Laegur Beam arrays, he had effectively put himself out of commission for several days. Keith didn¡¯t know how long it would take before his body returned to normal.

    On the upside, he gained 15 levels, now sitting firmly at level 685.

    With an improved mood, Keith re-opened the Blockade Event and discovered he had just under 2.1 million contribution points to spend. Since Keith watched Yara create the event and price all the rewards, he knew his 2.1 million was a considerable sum.

    However, the rewards he knew of were before the battle.

    After so long, Yara should have listed all the valuable loot dropped by the monsters.

    Indeed.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Keith found many new items when he browsed through the exchange list.

    Unfortunately, while Keith was unconscious, other people had already exchanged for all the items he was interested in, particularly the elixirs and divine grade equipment.

    Wait¡­ Keith found something remaining, a divine grade skill, priced at 2 million.

    (Divine, Skill) Combustion

    Description: Passively enchances your attacks. Upon dealing damage, consume mana to inflict the target with flames that deal 1% of the initial damage every second for ten seconds. If the target has ten different flames applied simultaneously, consume mana to make them explode, instantly dealing all the damage that would¡¯ve happened over time.

    Note 1: This skill requires a large mana pool.

    Delighted, Keith bought the skill as soon as he finished reading its details, leaving him with a hundred thousand contribution points. At the same time, the System conveniently teleported the skill gem directly into his hand.

    Observing the flickering ruby-colored gem for a moment, Keith willed, and it dispersed into nothing.

    Congratulations! You¡¯ve learned the skill: Combustion.

    Keith read the notification and had no regrets.

    There was a reason he bought the skill gem so quickly. In his hands, it would perform a grade higher. Arsenal of the Desert was already Keith¡¯s most powerful skill. With Combustion enhancing it, it was like a tiger gaining wings.

    As for the warning about the high mana usage, Keith wasn¡¯t worried when he had Mana Battery backing him up.

    Contemplating briefly, Keith considered finding a monster to test the skill but decided against it.

    If he spent any more mana, he might gain Mana Sickness.

    That was something he couldn¡¯t afford.

    For now, he needed to rest.

    Keith looked at the ceiling and sighed.

    He wished there was a quantifiable statistic about the state of his body concerning Mana Sickness. That way, he¡¯d have a grasp of when he¡¯d acquire it.

    Just as he had that idea, he sensed a change in his status.

    No way! Keith¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.

    Pulling up his status, he found a new parameter under his mana gauge.

    Mana Erosion: 88%

    Keith focused on the words Mana Erosion to pull up its definition.

    Using unattuned mana erodes your consciousness.

    You die at 100%.

    Raise the strength of your consciousness to resist the erosion of mana.

    Keith¡¯s eyes brightened like stars.

    The definition gave him a clue about how mana functioned.

    Sadly, it was related to something he had no understanding of.

    Strengthen his consciousness?

    How the slimeball could he do that?!

    ¡°Hey, System,¡± Keith spoke aloud. ¡°There should be a stat related to my mind, right? How do I unlock it?¡±

    There was no response to Keith¡¯s question.

    In fact, he was just probing.

    There were many times when equipment stated something like, ¡®increases primary stat.¡¯

    Keith felt like there was something more.

    After all, why say primary and not just stat?

    In any case, Keith was ecstatic with the new parameter in his status. He¡¯d check it tomorrow to determine his recovery rate.

    Until then, Keith passed the time on the magic tablet, browsing different pages until nightfall. At one point, he wanted to ask Yara how many people died during today¡¯s defense, yet deleted his message in the end. One part of him was curious, and another part wanted to remain oblivious to reality.

    Keith had a feeling the casualties were higher than the military expected.

    Though they weren¡¯t overrun during today¡¯s battle, it was still above what the defenders could handle. Thankfully, Keith was a mage and could remain atop the ramparts. His life wasn¡¯t in much danger.

    Keith¡¯s mother, on the other hand, fought down below.

    If she hadn¡¯t sent him a message right after the battle ended, he would¡¯ve thought she had fallen.

    Thinking about it, ignoring the casualties, Keith was immensely satisfied with the 15 levels he gained and the divine grade skill he acquired. One day had increased his overall power significantly.

    How much stronger would he get in a week?

    A month?

    A year?

    Actually, the difficulty the Innate¡¯s military had against the monster horde was greatest during the period when they were still weak. Should they overcome the initial hurdle, the casualty rate would plummet. Keith hoped they wouldn¡¯t need to sacrifice too many people to get there.

    Just then, a thought popped into Keith¡¯s mind.

    Who ranked number one?

    Pulling up the Blockade Event leaderboard, Keith smiled when he saw his father was ranked second and Ska¡¯dur first. The difference in their contribution was next to nothing.

    Keith wondered how much stronger they¡¯d gotten today.

    Since he gained so much, they should¡¯ve as well.

    Hopefully, Keith wouldn¡¯t fall unconscious the next time he fought, or he¡¯d lose the opportunity to exchange for the best items.

    With that in mind, Keith¡¯s exhaustion caught up to him, and he fell asleep.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41

    It took four days for Keith¡¯s Mana Erosion value to drop from 88% to 12%.

    During that time, he intentionally stayed away from the Blockade, unwilling to watch people die. Keith noticed that with every passing day, the atmosphere of the military compound grew increasingly heavy as people lost their friends and loved ones.

    In the end, Keith couldn¡¯t hold back from asking Yara about the casualty count.

    The numbers were staggering.

    Thirty-four thousand fell on the day Keith fought.

    Thirty-two thousand on the second.

    Thirty-one thousand on the third.

    Twenty-nine thousand on the fourth.

    Twenty-six thousand on the fifth.

    Though it was hard for Keith to quantify exactly how many died in total, he felt an unprecedented sadness upon learning the statistics.

    It proved that the Innate¡¯s military was bleeding hard.

    In exchange for lives, they acquired an influx of skill gems, equipment, elixirs, and materials every time they beat back the monster horde. Without those, the situation would¡¯ve been hopeless and morale low.

    The rewards were so lucrative that everyone willingly risked their safety again and again.

    It made Keith question their motivations.

    Was it greed that drove them?

    Probably not.

    Keith contemplated long and hard before arriving at what he guessed was the answer.

    They took the risk so that they wouldn¡¯t have to in the future.

    While the countless men and women in the military knew it was dangerous, they possessed the courage and boldness to step forward, all to fight for what they believed in.

    Invigorated by their mentality, Keith now regretted spending so much mana earlier.

    Instead of fighting alongside his fellow countrymen and women, he had taken four days to recuperate. Keith didn¡¯t want to take so long to recover after every battle. He decided that from now on, he would keep a firm leash on his mana consumption.

    After looking at his Mana Erosion gauge, Keith sat crosslegged and mentally prepared for tomorrow, unaware that he had responded contrary to Yara¡¯s hidden scheme.

    The military¡¯s leadership paid close attention to the Blockade Event¡¯s contribution ranking, and Keith¡¯s rank of 105 out of millions hadn¡¯t gone unnoticed.

    Yara was especially horrified.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Keith¡¯s unexpected power had come from out of nowhere.

    Scarred by the past, she saw a possibility where Keith perished from taking on heavy responsibilities and had sent the casualty information to make him back off. Yet, it made Keith feel aggrieved that he wasn¡¯t there to help fight the monster horde.

    Yara wouldn¡¯t have sent him the data if she knew what his response would¡¯ve been.

    And so, the next day, Keith strode out to the Blockade, arriving a few hours early.

    He took his position atop the ramparts and waited.

    From time to time, more people showed up, gradually taking up the remaining space.

    Suddenly, a voice called out to Keith, ¡°Hey, you¡¯re back.¡±

    Keith glanced to his left, finding the vaguely familiar visage of a middle-aged elf woman. ¡°You are¡­?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Renalla. I took you to the medics when you collapsed,¡± Renalla explained, smiling.

    ¡°Oh!¡± Keith¡¯s expression brightened. ¡°Thank you for your help back then.¡±

    Renalla waved her hand dismissively, asking, ¡°What happened, anyway?¡±

    Keith heaved a sigh. ¡°I spent too much mana and almost acquired Mana Sickness.¡±

    ¡°Wow. I¡¯ve heard of that condition. Don¡¯t you need to consume a colossal amount of mana in a short time? I¡¯m impressed,¡± Renalla gave a thumbs up and refrained from asking how Keith managed to accomplish it. She guessed it had something to do with his innate gift.

    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t recommend it,¡± Keith chuckled.

    Renalla glanced around and moved closer to Keith. Leaning in, she whispered, ¡°Were you the one who fired those death rays?¡±

    ¡°Death rays?¡± Keith took a moment to understand what Renalla was referring to.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Renalla nodded fiercely, an excited glint in her eyes. ¡°Everyone¡¯s been trying to figure out who cast that skill. I was standing right next to you on that day and remember you only collapsed after those death rays appeared. You did it, right?¡±

    Since Renalla had already connected the dots, Keith told the truth, ¡°It was.¡±

    ¡°Awesome!¡± Renalla punched Keith on the shoulder and laughed vigorously.

    At that moment, a stern-looking male dwarf with a meticulously groomed long beard and numerous medals on their armor approached Renalla and Keith.

    Renella jumped in shock at his appearance and quickly saluted, ¡°Colonol Hadjar, sir!¡±

    Hadjar grunted and turned to Keith. ¡°Are you Keith Walker?¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± Keith was confused.

    Hadjar stared at Keith quietly for over ten seconds before stating, ¡°Section B34 is under my command.¡±

    After saying that, Hadjar fell silent again.

    When almost a dozen seconds passed, Keith started to say, ¡°Did I do som-¡°

    ¡°I¡¯m here for one thing,¡± Hadjar interrupted.

    Keith was inwardly amused and waited patiently until Hadjar pulled out an intricate necklace and asked, ¡°Are you willing to accept the position of a War Array guardian and defend Section B34 with your life?¡±

    This time, it was Keith¡¯s turn to turn mute.

    Upon seeing Keith¡¯s lackluster response, Renalla shook his shoulder, speaking excitedly, ¡°Take it! Take it!¡±

    Hadjar glared at Renalla and grunted.

    ¡°Oops,¡± Renalla calmed down and scrutinized the sky.

    Hadjar turned back to Keith and said, ¡°I should add that 75% of the contribution points you earn will go towards the men and women sharing their power with you.¡±

    Hadjar didn¡¯t press Keith for an answer and stood, waiting.

    The moments passed, and although Keith hadn¡¯t said anything, his mind was in chaos.

    Never in his life had he encountered such a difficult decision.

    Should he accept or decline?

    It was a seemingly simple question, yet it involved shouldering a heavy responsibility. By accepting, Keith would have to fight against the strongest monsters in the horde. He couldn¡¯t stay atop the wall.

    While the risk was high, the benefits were hard to pass up.

    A War Array granted a single person the power of many.

    Keith would gain vastly higher stats and a much larger mana pool. His Mana Erosion resistance would likely skyrocket!

    There was only one question lingering in Keith¡¯s mind.

    He asked Hadjar, ¡°Why me?¡±

    The dwarf took five seconds to respond, ¡°We hold 20 sections of the Blockade, with each having six War Array holders. Though it''s normal for them to rank at the top, on the first day, you could squeeze into rank 105 even without a War Array backing you up. It¡¯d be a mistake for the military not to utilize your combat power. However, you¡¯re a private citizen. We can¡¯t force you.¡±

    Keith voiced his concern, ¡°That was days ago. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve fallen behind.¡±

    ¡°With your potential, you¡¯ll need just a single day to catch up,¡± Hadjar responded.

    Keith thought back to the decision he made yesterday. Taking a deep breath, he took the War Array necklace in Hadjar¡¯s extended hand, saying, ¡°Fine, I accept.¡±

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42

    Keith held the necklace and cast Inspect.

    (Divine, Equipment) War Array Receiver ¨C Level 600

    Description: The wearer will gain a portion of stats from each person using a War Array linked to this item.

    Note 1: The maximum distance between the Receiver and Broadcast War Arrays is 1 mile before the connection breaks.

    After Keith read the item¡¯s details, Hadjar handed him a small metal briefcase, explaining, ¡°You¡¯ll get a supply package every day you¡¯re a War Array guardian. Inside are some divine grade potions. Use them wisely.¡±

    Keith opened the briefcase, discovering three vials filled with shimmering liquid.

    (Divine, Potion) Serenity ¨C Level 600

    Description: Consume to gain a buff that reduces the mana cost of all actions by 40% for two minutes.

    (Divine, Potion) Ascent ¨C Level 650

    Description: Consume to raise the grade of a single skill by one for five minutes.

    Note 1: Cannot raise a skill to transcendant grade.

    (Divine, Potion) Barkskin ¨C Level 600

    Description: Consume to gain a buff that reduces all damage taken by 30% for five minutes.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Keith gasped, amazed by the potion¡¯s effects.

    At the side, Hadjar glanced at his watch and frowned. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time left. Follow me, I¡¯ll show you the area you¡¯re responsible for.¡±

    ***

    A short period later, Keith hovered above the Blockade, waiting for the monster horde to arrive.

    He looked across the battlefield, feeling tense.

    Just then, he remembered the War Array Reciever and withdrew it from his inventory.

    The moment he equipped it, his mana sense found thousands of lines connecting him to the troops below. From the connection came a portion of their stats. Alone, it was nothing much, but combined, it transformed Keith, elevating his combat power to a whole new level.

    After overcoming a potent wave of sensory overload, Keith opened his status panel and cursed, ¡°Slimeballs!¡±

    If his eyes weren¡¯t deceiving him, his health now sat at 5.4 million and his mana at 16 million. That was around a tenfold increase. More importantly, his stats skyrocketed by the same amount. The first thing he thought of was how strong his spells were now.

    ¡°This changes things,¡± Keith muttered to himself.

    With the tremendous increase in power, he had to rethink how he would engage the monster horde. Spells he had phased out of his combat style like Fireball might be potent enough to use again. After all, his damage scaled off of his intelligence stat.

    With time to spare, Keith scrutinized all his skills.

    One of them soon caught his attention.

    (Legendary, Skill) Cluster Bomb ¨C Level 351

    Description: Cast a Fireball that explodes upon contact, releasing a dozen smaller Fireballs around the target. The follow-up Fireballs deal 25% damage.

    Since Cluster Bomb was legendary grade, it didn¡¯t deal that much damage. However, Keith now had so much intelligence that it effectively boosted a legendary grade skill to a mythic or even ancient grade in terms of damage output.

    Of course, while the same could be said for Keith¡¯s Arsenal of the Desert, right now, what mattered to him was mana consumption.

    Facing the monster horde for days, weeks, or months on end was a test of his endurance.

    In group combat, a Cluster Bomb that cost 500 mana was more useful to him than Arsenal of the Desert which cost tens of thousands.

    Thinking it through, Keith decided to use low-grade skills when targeting groups of monsters and Arsenal of the Desert plus Combustion to deal with high-priority targets.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    Shortly after Keith sorted through his skills, the monster horde appeared on the horizon, rampaging across the Grandsky Plains.

    The strategy of using mortars, artillery, Repulsive arrays, and poison gas went unchanged. For a brief period, Keith remained motionless in the air, scanning the monster horde for his target.

    There! Keith narrowed his eyes.

    (Divine) Tyrannical Earth Lion ¨C Level 850

    Health: 130,000,000/130,000,000

    The Tyrannical Earth Lion was over twenty feet tall, possessing thick muscles that put bodybuilders to shame. Its skin was earthy brown and shined with a metallic luster.

    When Keith saw it come ever closer to the Blockade, he clenched his teeth and flew out to meet it. On the way, he conjured fifteen weapons from Arsenal of the Desert.

    ¡°Go,¡± Keith waved his hand, sending them ahead.

    WHOOSH!

    They fanned out and attacked the Tyrannical Earth Lion from all directions.

    The moment they made contact, the sound of metal colliding with metal rang out as the weapons bounced off the Tyrannical Earth Lion¡¯s hardened skin. Enraged, rock spikes grew off its body and shot outward, smashing Keith¡¯s conjured weapons to bits.

    Keith¡¯s expression darkened at the sight.

    The Tyrannical Earth Lion was of the earth element, the same element as Arsenal of the Desert. That was why the skill was so ineffective.

    Keith knew there was no point in trying again.

    To prevent any accidents from occurring, he summoned a dozen Laegur Beam arrays.

    This time, the Tyrannical Earth Lion¡¯s sturdy defense proved less effective. The beams burrowed deep into its body, wounding it, though not as much as Keith expected.

    Slimeballs, the Laegur Beam array isn¡¯t a skill and my intelligence stat doesn¡¯t affect it, Keith thought anxiously.

    Thankfully, flames burst forth from the monster¡¯s wounds and dealt additional damage, showing that Combustion still worked.

    Keith dodged the Tyrannical Earth Lion¡¯s counterattack and glanced at its details.

    (Divine) Tyrannical Earth Lion ¨C Level 850

    Health: 119,300,000/130,000,000

    He lowered the monster¡¯s health by less than 10% in exchange for consuming 1.5 million mana. A simple calculation informed him that to kill it with the Laegur Beam arrays, he¡¯d need to spend over 15 million mana.

    That won¡¯t do, Keith thought as he teleported to the side, avoiding another attack.

    Looking around, Keith spotted a high level monster in the distance ¨C a level 860 Troll Berserker. It would arrive within two minutes.

    Deciding on a plan, Keith fought back and forth with the Tyrannical Earth Lion, doing his best to avoid taking damage. When the Troll Berserker came near, Keith withdrew a potion from his inventory and drank its contents.

    Serenity!

    For two minutes, all his actions would consume 40% less mana.

    Without worrying about mana costs, Keith summoned a dozen Laegur Beam arrays back to back. In moments, the Tyrannical Earth Lion collapsed in flames, shortly followed by the Troll Berserker.

    Ignoring the level up notifications, Keith saw he still had time before Serenity wore off, so he looked down at the endless monster horde and multicast Cluster Bomb among other skills repeatedly. With how low the mana costs were, Keith could cast thousands of low-grade skills like Cluster Bomb without any issue.

    Immediately, the monster horde took heavy damage.

    Keith¡¯s boosted intelligence stat combined with his Mana Body made a legendary grade skill perform almost three grades higher, and under the endless barrage, the monster horde couldn¡¯t take it.

    From afar, the defenders atop the Blockade looked out, mouth agape, as Keith hovered in the air, thousands of skills raining down from his position. He alone fired more projectiles than all the mortars and artillery added together.

    The sight was mesmerizing.

    Under Keith¡¯s firepower, entire groups of monsters perished, and their formations collapsed. The defenders engaged in melee combat felt the pressure lessen considerably.

    Finally, Serenity wore off, and Keith toned down his output.

    When an hour passed, he checked his mana consumption and saw he spent over twenty million with his Mana Erosion gauge at 16%.

    Right when Keith was nearing the limit he set for himself, three roars rang out over the battlefield.

    Keith glanced around and saw three high level monsters converging on his location. They were a Primal Anaconda, an Undead Tyrant, and a Golden Ape.

    Sighing, he drank the potion called Ascent, upset that he had to use it.

    Keith felt no fear at their approach.

    Rather, the moment he read the details of Ascent, he knew he had a trump card that could guarantee his life. Normally, Ascent upgraded a skill by one grade, excluding transcendent grade. While powerful, it was still within the means of a divine grade potion.

    But what about Keith¡¯s Mana Body?

    If Ascent upgraded Arsenal of the Desert to celestial grade, would Keith¡¯s Mana Body raise it to transcendent?

    After drinking Ascent, Keith soon found the answer by reading Arsenal of the Desert¡¯s details.

    It did.

    Wearing a wide smile, Keith raised his head to the sky and laughed.

    According to Yara, transcendent grade skills were so rare that less than twenty had ever dropped from monsters after all these years. And now, thanks to Keith¡¯s transcendent grade Mana Body, he was the temporary owner of one.

    How powerful was a transcendent grade skill?

    Keith wanted to find out!

    Looking at the three level 850+ monsters charging toward him, Keith considered them as target practice. Waving his hand, he conjured fifteen greatswords. Compared to before, their appearance changed greatly. The sand, previously dull, shined golden with glory. There was even a faint aura around each weapon.

    ¡°Go,¡± Keith whispered, sending five greatswords toward each monster.

    Shockingly, the moment they moved, they sliced through space, leaving black cracks in their wake.

    The greatswords traveled faster than Keith could react, and before he realized it, they had already plunged into each monster. From front to back, they faced no resistance and forcibly carved a bloody trail through the monster¡¯s bodies.

    Keith¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.

    In one moment, the monsters were charging forward full of vigor, and in the next, they collapsed, their health drained to zero.

    A series of level up notifications entered the corner of Keith¡¯s field of view, but he ignored it, struggling to process what just happened.

    Right then, Keith felt a familiar hollow sensation.

    Opening his status panel, he was alarmed to discover his Mana Erosion value shot up to 49%. Using a transcendent grade skill had a much higher mana cost than he expected.

    Taking a breath, Keith didn¡¯t dare to conjure any more weapons.

    Fortunately, once Arsenal of the Desert¡¯s weapons were summoned, they didn¡¯t consume any more mana. And so, Keith used the last four minutes of Ascent to kill the highest-level monsters in the vicinity.

    An hour later, the last monster died, and the battle was over.

    Hovering in the sky, Keith checked his status panel and discovered he was level 699.

    So close! Keith thought.

    Starting at level 700, a person gained 10 allocatable stat points per level, up from 5.

    It was also the first major threshold to level 1,000.

    Based on what Yara told him, Keith knew his leveling speed would drop drastically after tomorrow, as the experience required to level up past level 700 grew increasingly absurd.

    Regardless, it was still something to look forward to.

    Closing his status panel, Keith opened the Blockade Event ranking list and searched for his position.

    #101!

    Even when he missed four days, his rank rose instead of dropping.

    It was all thanks to the combination of his Mana Body and Ascent.

    Without a transcendent grade skill backing him up, he would¡¯ve had a hard time facing three high-level monsters at once.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43

    Keith abruptly noticed movement below him.

    Glancing down, he saw people hopping off the wall and picking up loot.

    Oh right! Keith¡¯s eyes lit up.

    He almost forgot.

    Last time, Keith fell unconscious for several hours, making him miss out on the chance to exchange for the best rewards.

    Not this time.

    After checking that he had 3.4 million contribution points, Keith swapped to the exchange list and searched exclusively for skill gems. Several rewards greyed out as he looked, signifying that someone had bought it. At the same time, new rewards popped up as people looted the battlefield.

    Since time was short, Keith simply read the skill¡¯s names.

    Frozen Tempest? He shook his head. The ice element wasn¡¯t his style.

    Reflection Shield? Keith ignored it, uninterested.

    Seconds passed as he looked for something that resonated with him.

    Wind Lance? Keith¡¯s expression changed, and he went to purchase the skill gem, only for it to grey out. Someone had beat him to the punch.

    Forcing back his frustration, Keith moved on to the next.

    Mythril Automaton? That¡¯s the one! He didn¡¯t hesitate to buy it.

    This time, his purchase was successful, and a deep blue skill gem flashed into his hand.

    Holding it up, he cast Inspect.

    (Divine, Skill) Mythril Automaton

    Description: Summons a Mythril Automaton to aid you in combat. It comes with four skills: Bulwark, Retaliate, Life Link, and Teleport. The summon lasts until it dies. You can have a maximum of two conjured at once.

    Note 1: The Mythril Automaton¡¯s stats are based on the casters.

    Note 2: The Mythril Automaton can follow simple commands, or the caster can control it mentally.

    Note 3: The Mythril Automaton has its own mana pool.

    Keith read the Mythril Automaton¡¯s four skills.

    Bulwark was a passive skill that increased its physical and magical defense, Retaliate reflected a portion of damage it took, Life Link allowed it to transfer 20% of the damage the caster suffered to itself, and Teleport was self-explanatory.

    Overall, the Mythril Automaton¡¯s skill set heavily leaned toward defense, which was exactly what Keith needed right now. Before this, Mana Barrier was Keith¡¯s sole defensive skill, and it was a low grade one. He also had Void Shadowstep, but Keith didn¡¯t have any affinity with it. The last time it gained a level was over a year ago.

    Gaining Mythril Automaton greatly increased Keith¡¯s survivability, especially due to Life Link. It reminded him of Uncle Doven¡¯s ability; however, unlike Uncle Doven, who could transfer 100% of the damage someone took to himself, the Mythril Automaton only took 20%.

    Wait¡­ Keith thought of something.

    If he summoned two Mythril Automatons, the skill¡¯s maximum, would they each take 20% of the damage he took? In that case, it added up to 40%!The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    And that wasn¡¯t all.

    Keith¡¯s Mana Body boosted the skill by one grade.

    When he changed the skill to the celestial grade version, the description changed slightly ¨C he could now summon three at once, meaning he would take 60% reduced damage as long as the Mythril Automatons were alive.

    With the recent purchase, Keith now possessed three divine grade skills: Arsenal of the Desert, Combustion, and Mythril Automaton. Each one gave him a huge increase in his overall combat power, mainly thanks to his Mana Body.

    What amazed Keith the most was how he gained two divine grade skills in less than five days. It wasn¡¯t hard to imagine that tomorrow, he would also pick up another divine grade skill.

    A few minutes had passed since the battle ended, and Keith still needed to spend his remaining contribution points. There wasn¡¯t enough to purchase another skill, so he bought the next best thing.

    Elixirs.

    Of the 26 he exchanged for, 2 were divine grade, 13 were ancient, and the rest were mythic. Keith did some calculations. At this rate, he wouldn''t take long to reach the maximum stats he could gain from elixirs, maybe around a month.

    With nothing left to do, Keith returned to the Blockade, his gaze lingering on some soldiers collecting the fallen corpses as he flew.

    Hopefully, I made a difference, Keith lamented to himself.

    Suddenly, a person atop the Blockade shouted at him, ¡°Hey, great job out there!¡±

    Followed by the shout was a round of cheers.

    ¡°Haha, you were amazing!¡± Another yelled. ¡°I gained way more contribution points today, thanks to you.¡±

    Keith was stunned by the response.

    He forgot that he shared 75% of the contribution points he gained amongst those powering up his War Array Receiver. That¡¯s why everyone was so excited by his performance during the battle.

    Feeling flustered, Keith waved and flew out of sight.

    ¡°He looks so young. Does anyone know that lad¡¯s name?¡± Someone asked their friend atop the Blockade.

    ¡°I know. It¡¯s Keith Walker, rank 101.¡± A person nearby responded.

    An elf wore a smug grin, ¡°I bet you can¡¯t guess who his father is.¡±

    Everyone gathered around the elf, asking, ¡°Who? Tell us, quick.¡±

    The elf¡¯s grin widened. ¡°The High Commander!¡±

    While everyone gasped in shock, one person didn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Yeah, right. He doesn¡¯t share the High Commander¡¯s last name.¡±

    ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk,¡± The elf wagged a finger before lowering his voice, ¡°Don¡¯t you know that the High Commander once got into an argument with his wife? I think she intentionally didn¡¯t pick the High Commander¡¯s last name for their son.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s eyes lit up.

    At that moment, an officer listening at the side coughed, ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough. It¡¯s disrespectful to gossip about the High Commander¡¯s private affairs.¡±

    ***

    An hour later.

    In a meeting room, an intelligence officer reported, ¡°There were 22,000 casualties during today¡¯s defense. Compared to previous projections, this is a significant improvement. We expect to lose less than 17,000 tomorrow.¡±

    As the officer prattled on, Markus stood nearby with his arms crossed and eyes closed. The wounds he suffered from the earlier battle had yet to heal, and a faint scent of blood filled the room. Listening to the report, he held back from showing any emotions so as not to affect morale.

    Nobody knew that his mental state was deteriorating.

    All Markus cared about was that he had lost more soldiers in the past week than in the last hundreds of years combined. That fact weighed heavily on his conscience. It didn¡¯t matter how good the projections looked. Facts were facts.

    A week ago, he knew that the losses would be heavy.

    He just didn¡¯t know it would affect him so greatly.

    It was to the extent that he started doubting his decisions and even thought of resigning once they crossed this hurdle. After all, too many had fallen for no one to take responsibility. It had to be him.

    ¡°Now for the good news,¡± the intelligence officer forced a smile in an attempt to alleviate the depressing atmosphere. ¡°Of the troops participating in the defense, their average level is now 655. Many have also acquired ancient grade skills and other equipment. Due to all these factors, the overall strength of our military has doubled over the past week.¡±

    Many in the room, like Frod and Major General Luca, were visibly relieved to hear that.

    Markus was the only one unmoved. With a stern voice, he asked, ¡°What of our ammunition? How much longer will our stocks of poison last?¡±

    ¡°A month,¡± the intelligence officer replied.

    Markus nodded slightly in response.

    Without the poison and mortar ammunition, the losses would be unbearably high.

    However, a month later, they would no longer need it.

    At the side, Frod glanced at Markus, worried for the other. He was unusually perceptive towards people¡¯s emotions and sensed that Markus was troubled. Coughing, he gave the intelligence officer a meaningful look and said, ¡°Yo, I heard that young Keith took up the role of a Guardian today. How¡¯d he perform?¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± the intelligence officer smiled, answering. ¡°Even after taking four days off to recuperate, he placed higher than before.¡±

    ¡°What rank?¡± Markus opened his eyes at the mention of his son.

    ¡°101,¡± the officer replied.

    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Markus erupted in laughter, full of pride.

    Suddenly, he narrowed his eyes. ¡°You didn¡¯t give him special treatment, did you?¡±

    The intelligence officer shook his head. ¡°No, we provided him the same supply package as the other guardians.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± Markus finally relaxed. Although he was the High Commander of the military, he didn¡¯t want any of his subordinates to give Keith special treatment on his behalf. He disliked nepotism and always nipped it in the bud whenever it appeared in the ranks.

    The intelligence officer spread his hands, ¡°Well, that¡¯s everything.¡±

    Markus nodded. ¡°Meeting adjourned.¡±

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44

    Located to the southeast was Jade Forest, one of the highest level zones in the Grandsky Realm. It was a region filled with towering bamboo shoots and hazardous weather. Though no clouds were in the sky, lightning struck at any large movement.

    It didn¡¯t matter whether it was a person, a monster, or the bamboo leaves rustling in the wind ¨C all of it spawned lightning.

    In addition to its dangerous environment, the minimum level of the monsters that roamed there was 800, with many at the celestial grade, making it a place of great peril.

    At this very moment, somewhere in the Jade Forest, an abnormally smooth rock was placed in an open clearing, with a humanoid monster sitting cross-legged atop it. With dark green scale-like skin, the monster appeared as some type of reptile, claws, snout, tail, and all.

    If any adventurer came across this scene, they¡¯d be scared out of their wits.

    For sitting there was Monster King Tyranus.

    It was no fearsome monstrosity but a small, lithe creature that seemed almost harmless.

    For the past week, Tyranus hadn¡¯t moved a muscle when suddenly, its stomach rumbled hungrily. Slowly opening its eyes, Tyranus withdrew something from its inventory. It was a plate of food uncannily similar to what someone from the Innate Nation would order from a restaurant.

    Unlike any other monster, Tyranus ate with a fork and a knife, exhibiting behavior typically seen in humans or elves. It even used a napkin to wipe its snout and drank from a cup.

    Upon finishing, Tyranus looked into the distance, where another monster ate savagely.

    The sight gave rise to complicated emotions.

    In the past, it, too, was like that monster.

    For years, Tyranus followed its instincts implanted by the System, utilizing its abilities to rise through the levels by hunting monsters and dimensional citizens alike. And though its nature as a monster forced it to clash against dimensional citizens, its characteristics were that of patience, stealth, and assassination, allowing it to maintain its safety for long periods.

    Tyranus frequently recalled the day it killed the leader of the Conceptual Dimension and reached level 1,000.

    It was like waking from a dream.

    With lucidity came the realization of the self, ego, and consciousness.

    At level 1,000, according to the System, Tyranus was now an awakened monster and gained everything a dimension citizen had, whether it be a status panel, inventory, or what have you.

    There was one difference.

    Although it wouldn¡¯t get loot from killing monsters, it would from dimensional citizens.

    Regardless, that moment was when Tyranus broke free from the shackles imposed on it by the System. It no longer went berserk at the sight of a human, orc, dwarf, elf, or demon. It could do whatever it wanted.

    Following its freedom was loneliness.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Dimensional citizens wanted it dead for its loot, and its fellow monsters were slaves to the System. Tyranus yearned for companionship ¨C for an equal.

    The Grandsky Realm didn¡¯t have what Tyranus wanted, so it placed its hopes on an item it acquired from the leader of the Conceptual Dimension.

    A gem the size of a hand.

    A Dimension Core.

    [Special] Conceptual Core (Mutated)

    Description: Grants the holder administrative authority over the zones it has conquered. Fuse with the remaining Dimension Cores to become the absolute ruler of the Grandsky Realm and unlock access to the (Restricted).

    Passive Skill 1: Gain control over the monsters that spawn in the zones you¡¯ve conquered.

    Active Skill 1: Surveillance. Grants an aerial view of a targeted section of a zone you¡¯ve conquered. No cooldown. No mana cost.

    Active Skill 2: Conquest. Grants the ability to compel the monsters within your conquered zones to launch an attack at a target location. No cooldown. No mana cost.

    In Tyranus¡¯ hands, the Dimensional Core underwent significant changes, becoming suitable for an awakened monster. Among the three skills, the conquest ability was what made Tyranus so fearsome.

    Currently, of the 1,000 zones in the Grandsky Realm, Tyranus occupied 430 of them.

    But that was the limit.

    Tyranus was no fool -  it was aware it couldn¡¯t take on the Elemental Nation and Sin Dimension single-handedly, so it came up with a long-term strategy.

    It would whittle down the Elemental Nation¡¯s forces, weakening them to the point that the Sin Dimension¡¯s natives couldn¡¯t hold back from going in for the kill.

    Tyranus had waited all these years and knew that time was fast approaching.

    Thankfully, it just so happened to coincide with its next evolution.

    Born as a transcendent grade monster, Tyranus possessed an ability unique across the Grandsky Realm. It could reconstruct its body, deciding what to add, remove, or enhance. Each modification sent the skill on a long cooldown period, with its last modification making the skill take over three hundred years to recover.

    In seven years, the skill became available once more.

    That was when Tyranus knew it could overpower any foe.

    For now, it bided its time.

    Waiting.

    Watching.

    Planning.

    ***

    In Moonglade Grove, the Elemental Nation¡¯s four ruler¡¯s citadels floated above the capital, making their presence forever known to the city¡¯s inhabitants.

    Inside the flaming citadel, Torg Igneo stood before a balcony overlooking the city. The wind caused his clothes to flutter as he stood there, his gaze going past his territory below and to the east ¨C where the Sin Dimension lay.

    Suddenly, the sound of footsteps came from behind.

    ¡°Why have you called me here?¡± a feminine metallic voice questioned Torg.

    Turning around, Torg faced the newcomer, a stout dwarf with bronze-colored skin, her hair cut short. It was Rammy Isthmus, one of his fellow rulers.

    Torg smiled, ¡°Patience, Rammy. Wait for the others.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡± Rammy harumphed and found somewhere to sit.

    Torg leaned against the railing, arms crossed as the minutes passed.

    Finally, two people holding hands entered the room: a man and a woman.

    The woman was Isabel Aquarius, an orc with blue tattoos covering her body, while the man was Flynn Gustor, an elf with a thin, wiry physique.

    With their arrival, all four rulers of the Elemental Nation were present, a rare occurrence. Torg spoke first, ¡°I¡¯ll get straight to the point. It¡¯s time to eradicate the Sin Dimension.¡±

    Towards Torg¡¯s declaration, Isabel and Rammy immediately frowned.

    As for Flynn, his expression grew thoughtful.

    Torg continued without pause, ¡°The Conceptual Dimension was once our greatest opponent. After defeating them, we would¡¯ve wiped out the Sin Dimension if not for the appearance of Tyranus. Now, thanks to the Innate Nation, the opportunity has arrived. It¡¯s time to finish what we initially set out to do.¡±

    Flynn¡¯s calm voice sounded across the room, ¡°Although the Sin Dimension isn¡¯t united, they possess several top experts. Who will face Wrath, Greed, and Gluttony?¡±

    ¡°Leave Gluttony to me,¡± Rammy answered, her expression eager.

    Torg nodded. ¡°If we work together, Flynn, I can handle Wrath and Greed. You just need to support from the back.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Flynn didn¡¯t confirm or deny.

    Isabel spoke for the first time, ¡°You want to start another war. How many more will die for the sake of your conquest?¡±

    ¡°More will die if we do nothing!¡± Torg laughed, amused by Isabel¡¯s naivety. ¡°Tyranus remains a hidden threat while the demons harass our borders day and night. We¡¯ve bled long enough!¡±

    Seeing that Isabel remained unconvinced, Torg used a gentler tone, ¡°If we remove the Sin Dimension from the equation, peace is all that remains.¡±

    Isabel sighed and said no more.

    Torg looked around the room, grinning.

    The outcome was settled.

    War!

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45

    Back in New Hope, there was a flurry of invention and discovery.

    Defending the Blockade gave the Innate Nation a vast quantity of resources ¨C plants for alchemy, ore for blacksmithing, wood for carpentry, hide for leatherworking, etc.

    With the influx of resources, everyone from alchemists to array masters had a seemingly unlimited budget to further develop their craft. They were growing just as fast as the military was.

    Among them was Keith¡¯s clone, who remained in New Hope, locked away in Frisk¡¯s personal time-accelerated Pocket Dimension. When he wasn¡¯t assisting Frisk, the clone was completing the study material Frisk created for him.

    That meant Keith was developing himself in two directions: one in combat power and the other in knowledge. The duel combination filled Keith with a feeling of unprecedented fulfillment. Every day he saw tangible progress, fueling his motivation to ever greater heights.

    It was addicting.

    While the path of arrays was long, Keith had a concrete goal.

    The Laegur Beam array inspired him deeply.

    Keith wanted to reach the point where he could develop arrays at a similar level to make the best use of Quickdraw. He imagined himself waving his hand and summoning a swath of arrays no less powerful than divine or celestial grade skills.

    Keith was studying hard to make that a reality.

    Currently, his clone was helping Frisk set up the formation of an array.

    The battle at the Blockade had ended an hour ago, and most of Keith¡¯s consciousness was now focused on his clone. Things were proceeding as usual when Frisk suddenly gasped.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Keith asked from the side.

    Frisk gave a slight nod. ¡°I just reached level 1,000 in array crafting.¡±

    Keith blinked. ¡°Sorry?¡±

    It took him a moment to react.

    ¡°Yep, a bunch of notifications popped up,¡± Frisk interacted with the air. ¡°A new title, too. Seems pretty good.¡±

    Keith clenched his fists as excitement bubbled forth. ¡°Why are you so calm!? You¡¯re the first person from the Innate Dimension to reach level 1,000 in a skill!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s to be expected,¡± Frisk shrugged nonchalantly.

    Keith started laughing. ¡°This is great. We should celebrate!¡±

    ¡°Pass,¡± Frisk waved his hand, disinterested.

    Keith was about to start hopping from joy on the spot when the mana in the surroundings churned and boiled before pouring into Frisk¡¯s body, forming a vortex.

    Keith watched, alarmed, as Frisk froze up.

    ¡°Frisk!¡± Keith rushed over in worry but was blocked by an invisible barrier.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Just as Keith was about to attack, Frisk¡¯s voice came from within, ¡°Relax.¡±

    Relieved that Frisk wasn¡¯t in danger, Keith waited as the minutes passed.

    Finally, the vortex dissipated, revealing Frisk, unharmed.

    Keith walked up. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°A boon,¡± Frisk rubbed his eyebrows.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Keith asked, confused.

    Frisk held back his annoyance and explained, ¡°The System rewarded me for reaching level 1,000 in a skill. I was able to evolve my innate gift.¡±

    ¡°What does that entail?¡± Keith was visibly curious, like a newborn baby. This was the first time he heard an innate gift could evolve.

    Frisk heaved a long sigh. ¡°The mana cost of using my innate gift is now reduced by 30%.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s huge!¡± Keith exclaimed. ¡°What about the title?¡±

    Frisk waved his hand, sending Keith his notification.

    (Title) Skill Master

    Description: The skill you reached level 1,000 in now has a 50% reduction in mana cost, cooldown, and cast time. If applicable, it also deals 50% more damage.

    Keith¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of his head. ¡°What the slimeball!¡±

    He knew that leveling a skill was important, but he didn¡¯t know there was such a big benefit waiting at the end.

    Keith fell into thought.

    Should he shift some time to understanding Arsenal of the Desert? The skill mainly involved attaching arrays to grains of sand, transforming them into something greater. If Keith could learn what the arrays did, his skill levels would skyrocket. He wouldn¡¯t have so much trouble facing level 800+ monsters at that point.

    ¡°Here is the other notification I received,¡± Frisk added.

    Congratulations, you leveled a skill to 1,000!

    Reach level 1,000 in three more skills to attain additional benefits.

    Keith sucked in a breath.

    Clenching his hands, he decided to allocate a portion of the day to understanding Arsenal of the Desert. Reaching level 1,000 in his skills was now one of his highest priorities.

    ¡°Well, back to work.¡± Frisk resumed drawing the array he¡¯d been forming earlier, leaving Keith vexed at how boring he was.

    A few hours later, Keith left the time-accelerated Pocket Dimension and headed toward the dorms of Adventurer Academy to visit Frey. Although Keith no longer attended the school, he still kept in touch with her, especially now that he had a clone.

    ¡°Keith!¡± Frey¡¯s eyes brightened upon opening the door to her apartment. ¡°Come in, I have something to show you.¡±

    Keith followed Frey inside, asking, ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I finished my project!¡± Frey spun around with a beaming smile.

    ¡°You did?!¡± Keith was thrilled.

    ¡°It¡¯s over here,¡± Frey brought Keith over to a dining table, where a metal box engraved with arrays sat. When she pushed a few buttons, a three-dimensional hologram popped into existence above the box. Similar to an inventory, the hologram had all sorts of colorful icons and things to interact with.

    ¡°Watch,¡± Frey said, demonstrating how the device worked. ¡°If I press the red icon followed by the brush icon, it allows me to draw in the air. I can change the size and type of brush, along with the colors.¡±

    With expertise, Frey drew a life-like bird in a few minutes. ¡°Once I¡¯m finished, I can save the drawing and load it back up whenever I want.¡±

    ¡°This is amazing, Frey!¡± Keith was humbled by her creativity.

    Frey shook her head. ¡°This is just the initial design. I want to make it so you can animate the drawings.¡±

    ¡°What about sound effects?¡± Keith asked.

    ¡°That too,¡± Frey nodded, ¡°There¡¯s a lot I can do.¡±

    Keith glanced at the box and said, ¡°If you can mass-produce this device, you can make a lot of money.¡±

    ¡°Not everything¡¯s about money, Keith,¡± Frey rebuked softly. ¡°I made this for kids to play with, not to get rich.¡±

    Keith chuckled awkwardly.

    Frey pressed a button on the box to turn it off. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m still figuring out how to implement some features. I won¡¯t put it on the market until it¡¯s perfect.¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to help?¡± Keith probed.

    Frey considered it. ¡°There¡¯s a few arrays I¡¯m having trouble with if you don¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡± Keith pulled out a chair from the dining table and sat down.

    Hours went by, and Keith only went home after midnight, deep in thought.

    Working with Frey had given him some ideas.

    Keith had always loved dressing up in different outfits, so what if he extended his desire to express himself to his skills? For example, when he cast Fireball, he could use Quickdraw to summon arrays that let off fireworks. Though they wouldn¡¯t add anything other than visuals, that was enough for Keith.

    In his eyes, being flashy was cool.

    Oh! Keith suddenly had the best idea.

    What if when he used Flight and walked through the air, lotus petals blossomed at his feet? With ideas like that filling his mind, Keith slowly drifted off to sleep, a foolish grin on his face.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46

    The Blockade.

    Early in the afternoon, Keith took up position in the sky, hovering with his hands in his pockets. Floating behind his back was a cyan halo ten feet in diameter, with lines pointing outward at several locations.

    Down below, someone pointed at Keith and asked his friend, ¡°Hey, what skill is that?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the friend thought long and hard. ¡°It seems to be some type of augmentation skill.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡±

    Keith wore a smug expression upon hearing the discussions. They didn¡¯t know the halo was an array he fixed up this morning. It had no special effects other than looking mysterious. Best of all, it barely consumed any mana to maintain.

    Minutes later, when the people below lost interest, Keith intentionally walked around a few times. With every step he took,  a ripple spread through the air, like a subtle wave atop the ocean. The sight immediately caught more attention.

    ¡°Hey, what skill is he using now?¡± A person asked his friend again.

    The friend rubbed his chin, at a loss. ¡°Looks like something of the water element.¡±

    As time passed while everyone waited for the monster horde to arrive, Keith would occasionally display some visual effects. He used the reactions of the audience below as a gauge to determine which ones were better.

    However, during the following hour, the people below gradually understood Keith wasn¡¯t using any skills, and they started giving him strange glances.

    ¡°Hey, why does he keep doing that?¡± A person asked his friend for the umpteenth time.

    ¡°Ssh!¡± The friend lowered his voice. ¡°Don¡¯t look. It¡¯s probably some kind of fetish.¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± The person shivered.

    Soon, Keith noticed that no matter what he did, nobody looked his way.

    Man, either they¡¯re too picky or I¡¯m not creative, Keith thought, figuring that he wasn¡¯t being flashy enough.

    That wasn¡¯t good.

    After a hard battle against today¡¯s monster horde, Keith went back to his private quarters and started tinkering with his visual arrays. They needed to be bigger, more colorful, and most importantly, impactful.

    The next day, Keith woke up early and flew to his usual position above the Blockade.

    He waited until the audience reached sufficient numbers before using Quickdraw to summon his latest creation.

    A sun!

    Blazing radiantly behind Keith¡¯s back, it blinded the eyes of whoever looked at it.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    At that moment, a roar came from afar, ¡°Walker!!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Keith spun around to see Colonel Hadjar flying over with a furious face.

    Hadjar squinted hard and barely saw Keith¡¯s figure beneath the sun. Snorting, he berated, ¡°What are you thinking?! No matter how powerful, can¡¯t you tell that skill will distract people during the battle? Turn it off!¡±

    Keith pouted. ¡°It¡¯s an array, not a skill.¡±

    Hadjar¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What now?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s just for visuals,¡± Keith nodded.

    Hadjar stared at Keith in a stupor for several seconds before yelling, ¡°Turn! It! Off!¡±

    Though Keith felt aggrieved, he did as commanded.

    Looks like I went overboard. This one has too much impact, Keith thought as Hadjar flew away. It was better to create the visual arrays in moderation.

    Eventually, the monster horde arrived, and Keith fought a tough battle.

    Thankfully, the Mythril Automatons greatly increased his survivability, allowing him to take much more damage than without them. Though they consumed a lot of mana to summon, it was worth it.

    After the fight, Keith went back to work on his visual arrays, slowly perfecting his craft.

    A week passed just like that.

    During that time, Keith leveled up to level 712. His rank in the Blockade Event also rose consistently and he was now ranked 56.

    Regarding the Exchange Shop, after some discussion amongst the military¡¯s leadership, they implemented a new rule: a person couldn¡¯t purchase more than five divine grade skill gems.

    Keith, being picky, had only exchanged for a single skill since then.

    Counterspell.

    (Divine, Spell) Counterspell

    Description: Nullify a targeted spell within sight. Mana cost and cooldown improves with skill level.

    On the ninth day since Keith became a guardian, he strode through the air, coming to his usual position above the Blockade. A fantastical misty cloak wrapped around his body, shimmering like the stars in the sky. In addition to the halo floating behind his back was a simple crown atop his head, pulsing with cyan light. All three things came from his visual arrays.

    Keith rested with his eyes closed while waiting for the monster horde.

    Something he learned recently was that if he focused his mind on recovering mana by imagining it flowing into him, he saw tangible improvements to his mana regeneration. It wasn¡¯t anything crazy, but it gave him a hint about how mana behaved.

    Less than an hour later, the monster horde appeared, and Keith locked onto his target ¨Ca giant spider the size of a house with deadly sharp legs called a Crypt Fiend.

    Keith summoned three Mythril Automatons to guard his sides before rushing forward. Arriving within melee distance, he dodged the Crypt Fiend¡¯s legs and cast Arsenal of the Desert.

    Unlike in the past, Keith no longer fought at a distance, instead sticking to his target as closely as possible. That way, his opponent would have drastically less time to react to his spells.

    When Keith first tried this combat style a few days ago, he received much more damage than usual, and if he didn¡¯t have the Mythril Automatons to share 60% of the damage he took, he wouldn¡¯t have tried it at all.

    Fortunately, the more he attempted close combat, the better he got at it.

    With the increase in combat experience, Keith was able to find openings left by his opponent that he wouldn¡¯t have noticed before.

    Or better yet, create them.

    Just like now.

    As Keith fought with the Crpyt Fiend, he observed that when it attacked with its front legs, it supported its weight with its four hind ones. Taking advantage of that, Keith baited the Crpyt Fiend into attacking, and just as it raised its front legs, he used Cold Snap to freeze the ground beneath it, making it slip.

    The sudden change caused the Crypt Fiend¡¯s attack to miss and leave it vulnerable.

    Flying forward, Keith grabbed a nearby longsword from Arsenal of the Desert and slashed across the Crypt Fiend¡¯s eyes, blinding it.

    It died shortly after that.

    From start to finish, Keith was in total control.

    Compared to before, the time it took for Keith to slay high-level monsters fell drastically. There was no doubt that the constant fighting at the Blockade was utterly transforming Keith, unearthing the talent passed down by his parents, who were both geniuses in melee combat.

    Previously, he usually fought at a distance.

    But now, he was combining his passion as a mage with his innate talent to form something rarely seen ¨C a close-combat mage.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47

    In the Elemental Nation, a person belonged to one of four factions: Torg¡¯s Solar Flare Legion, Rammy¡¯s Warden Legion, Flynn¡¯s Clearsky Legion, or Isabel¡¯s Stormsea Legion. It all depended on what element your innate gift was.

    No matter what industry, the legions controlled everything.

    For example, of the few adventurer organizations, they were all merely affiliates of a particular legion, forced to pay high taxes on any loot they acquired.

    The legions had a strict hierarchy, largely based on the level of your innate gift.

    Between 1 and 500, you were a private.

    Between 501 and 600, you were a corporal.

    Between 601 and 700, you were a sergeant.

    Between 701 and 800, you were a captain.

    Between 801 and 900, you were a colonel.

    Between 901 and 1,000, you were a general.

    The majority of soldiers in the four legions were situated between corporals and captains. Very few were colonels, with less than a thousand being generals.

    Torg, Rammy, Flynn, and Isabel were the only ones with an innate gift of level 1,000.

    Torg had reached it hundreds of years ago, with Rammy, Flynn, and Isabel taking much longer. Though Frisk had reached level 1,000 in array crafting and it seemed like he was on even footing with Torg, there was a major difference between skills with manipulation in their names and those without.

    Array Crafting was a skill with a narrow focus while Fire Manipulation encompassed a whole branch of skills. The difficulty to master Fire Manipulation was much harder than Array Crafting. Even after thousands of years of development, only four people from the Elemental Nation had succeeded in mastering their innate gift.

    The power brought by a level 1,000 manipulation skill was immense.

    It was so great that Torg was capable of singlehandedly toppling the previous government. In the Innate Nation, although Yara was secretly the ruler, she still acted with the Innate Nation¡¯s best interest in mind.

    Torg did not.

    The purpose of the Solar Flare Legion was solely to serve his needs.

    They were his spear and shield.

    And now he directed them toward the Sin Dimension.

    The borders of the Elemental Nation had long become infested by demons, frequently plundering whatever farmlands and mining operations they found.Stolen story; please report.

    Whenever the four legions appeared in an attempt to stop them, the demons would flee without a single fight. They would only engage when they had the upper hand.

    The casualties were not comparable to what the Elemental Nation lost at the Blockade, but the constant pillaging had weakened their industries considerably.

    It was time to put an end to that once and for all.

    ***

    Not long after the meeting between the Elemental Nation¡¯s rulers, the legions under their command, previously stationed at the Blockade, were now gathered outside the Capital City.

    Though it was only half of each legion, they had around one million in number.

    The legions were distinctly different, as shown by their armor, which matched their element.

    Separated into four groups, they stood in rows, waiting.

    Nobody spoke.

    The sole sound came from the banners fluttering in the wind.

    Just then, four figures flew over from the horizon.

    Arriving above the legions, Torg and the others came to a halt without saying a word.

    One side looked down and the other up as the atmosphere grew thick with killing intent.

    They all knew why they were gathered here today.

    Finally, when the tension reached a peak, Torg didn¡¯t give a speech to boost morale.

    There was no need.

    Instead, he shouted, ¡°KILL!¡±

    And in response, the legions raised their weapons to the sky, roaring, ¡°KILL! KILL! KILL!¡±

    Torg pointed to the east. ¡°Move out!¡±

    At his command, the legions summoned their mounts and took to the air.

    Cheers came from the capital city behind them as they flew eastbound.

    Looking back, the troops saw countless citizens waving them off from within the city. The sight gave rise to feelings of glory. They would return victorious!

    Inside the city, a nondescript middle-aged human woman stepped out of a restaurant, a frown on their face when they heard all the noise. Wondering what was going on, her figure flickered as she jumped from rooftop to rooftop until she reached the city walls.

    Normally, only soldiers were allowed atop the walls, but nobody seemed to notice the woman. A patrol squad walked right past her, oblivious.

    The woman¡¯s eyes narrowed when she caught sight of the legions flying into the distance. Just then, she overheard a conversation between two soldiers in the patrol squad next to her.

    ¡°The demons stand no chance,¡± a young man spoke, excitement in his eyes. ¡°I bet they won¡¯t last longer than a week.¡±

    The squad leader laughed. ¡°A week? You think too highly of them!¡±

    The woman looked back at the legions and squinted.

    A second later, her figure vanished, and she appeared behind a lone man walking into a public bathroom. Upon entering, she attacked, grabbing his neck and pushing him up against the wall.

    As the man struggled, the act of violence deactivated the woman¡¯s Polymorph skill, revealing her true form: a scaled humanoid lizard.

    Above the monster was a glowing name.

    (Transcendent) Monster King Tyranus ¨C Level 1,000.

    The moment the man saw his attacker, his face turned sheet white.

    Tyranus loosened its grip on the man¡¯s neck and asked in a soothing feminine tone, ¡°Why is Torg attacking the Sin Dimension? Did he abandon the Blockade?¡±

    ¡°N-no¡­¡± The man stuttered.

    ¡°Speak quickly or suffer,¡± Tyranus threatened.

    Gulping, the man explained, ¡°There¡¯s a new dimension¡­ I heard they took over half of the Blockade¡­¡±

    Getting the information it needed, Tyranus snapped the man¡¯s neck, killing him painlessly. A moment later, a woman left the bathroom and flew into the air. Leaving the city behind, they chased after the Elemental Nation¡¯s army, deep in thought.

    Tyranus knew an ununified Sin Dimension was no match for the Elemental Nation in a straight-up fight. That¡¯s why it had never targeted the demons, maintaining a delicate balance between the Grandsky Realm¡¯s forces. It hadn¡¯t expected a new Dimension to emerge and alleviate the pressure at the Blockade.

    Tyranus¡¯s goal was simple.

    It wouldn¡¯t let the Elemental Nation secure victory without heavy losses.

    It would follow in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

    And when it did, someone would die.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48

    As Torg sat atop his mount, he considered his options.

    Their army would take almost two days of nonstop flying to reach the Sin Dimension¡¯s entrance. If they traveled in a straight line, they¡¯d cross a little over 40 zones, each controlled by demons.

    He could sweep through all the zones inhabited by demons before reaching the Sin Dimension or ignore them entirely.

    Both choices had their pros and cons.

    Should he remove the presence of demons in the Grandsky Realm, he could surround the portal leading to the Sin Dimension and lock them inside. The only downside was that he might alert Wrath, Greed, and Gluttony during the process, allowing them to unite in the face of extinction.

    On the other hand, Torg could blitz straight to the Sin Dimension¡¯s portal, enter inside, and slay Wrath while he was unprepared. Without Wrath, Greed and Gluttony were no threat. If Torg went this route, he¡¯d leave his back vulnerable to the hundreds of thousands of demons lurking in the Grandsky Realm. They might even invade the heartland of the Elemental Nation.

    Torg was in a dilemma, unsure of what path to choose.

    He wasn¡¯t like Elaine ¨C who could divine information using karma to find the most optimal route.

    It took Torg an hour to come to a decision.

    Blitzkrieg!

    They¡¯d rush into the Sin Dimension, slay Wrath, Gluttony, and Greed, then block the Sin Dimension¡¯s entrance to the Grandsky Realm. From there, they¡¯d be in complete control of the situation. After that, one obstacle remained before Torg became the absolute ruler of the Grandsky Realm.

    Tyranus.

    Torg felt deep resentment upon thinking of that monster.

    Last time, Torg was on the verge of complete victory against his life¡¯s greatest opponent ¨C the Conceptual Dimension, when Tyranus appeared at the final moment, snatching away his would-be spoils.

    Now that Torg was about to defeat the Sin Dimension, he wouldn¡¯t let the same thing happen again. Looking around casually, he had a gut feeling Tyranus was near, following him like a patient hunter.

    In fact, he was counting on it.

    ¡°You like to strike at the perfect moment, don¡¯t you?¡± Torg muttered to himself, a smirk on his face. ¡°If I give you another opportunity, I bet you won¡¯t be able to help yourself.¡±

    ***

    Stolen novel; please report.

    The gateway leading to the Sin Dimension lay in an open canyon.

    Surrounding the gigantic glowing portal was a black fortress in the center of a city.

    Years ago, even though the Sin Dimension wasn¡¯t united, the three strongest sins, Wrath, Greed, and Gluttony, still had the wisdom to defend their Dimension¡¯s gateway together. As such, they each garrisoned a portion of their forces here year-round.

    With so many demons raiding and plundering the Elemental Nation, the fortress eventually became a trade center where they could sell their loot and restock their supplies. Over time, the fortress continuously expanded until it became the city it was now, home to millions of demons.

    At this moment, atop the city walls, a patrol team bickered amongst themselves. A young woman wearing skin-tight armor spoke impatiently, ¡°We¡¯ve been walking these walls for weeks. When will that slimeball Hector let us leave to go hunting? I want to kill something!¡±

    The patrol captain spat on the ground. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t tried hiding some of your spoils, would we have been punished here for so long?¡±

    The woman immediately pulled out her dagger, threatening, ¡°Say that again. Last I recall, that was your idea.¡±

    Another demon in the squad snickered. ¡°Captain, don¡¯t get on her bad side. She killed her last superior. You don¡¯t want to be her next victim, do you?¡±

    ¡°Uh,¡± The captain withered under her glare. ¡°You¡¯re right. It was my idea. Sorry.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± The woman harumphed and sheathed her weapon.

    Just then, the captain noticed a dot on the horizon. Pointing, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    The rest of the team didn¡¯t care to look. ¡°Who knows? It¡¯s probably just some loser on their mount.¡±

    The captain stood on the spot and kept staring as his teammates walked away.

    As the seconds passed, his expression grew increasingly pale.

    Gulping, he turned around and hopped off the wall, making a run for the gateway to the Sin Dimension. The commotion drew his teammate''s attention, and when they looked over, they saw their captain sprinting as if his life depended on it.

    ¡°What the slimeball?¡± One of them swore.

    The annoyed woman from earlier remembered that their captain had pointed at something earlier. Turning to look, her jaw dropped. ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    Just like her captain, she jumped off the wall and followed in his footsteps.

    The rest of the team finally caught on that something was wrong, and when they looked up, they saw millions of flying mounts closing in on their location. There were so many they blotted out a portion of the sky.

    Scared out of their wits, the remaining team members fled for their lives.

    One of them shouted as they ran, ¡°Enemy attack! Enemy attack!¡±

    The shout echoed across the fortress, startling everyone into action.

    Seconds later, a bell rang out repeatedly ¨C warning the garrison troops that a fight was imminent. Demons rushed out of the inner fortress and climbed the walls, ready for battle.

    Yet all of them froze on the spot when they saw what they were facing.

    One of the demons suddenly turned and ran, and when they did, all hell broke loose.

    None of the demons had any discipline, and all of them cared about themselves, so when they saw an enemy they couldn¡¯t defeat, they turned and fled.

    Thousands of demons made for the Sin Dimension¡¯s gateway, but considering its size, it wasn¡¯t wide enough to fit them through all at once. Understanding that, one of the demons sliced the hamstring of the person in front of them, allowing them to overtake the latter. They weren¡¯t the only ones to attack.

    One thing led to another, and a massive brawl broke out.

    It was chaos.

    A minute later, about half of the garrisoned troops had made it through the gateway when the surroundings turned bright.

    A few demons looked up to see thousands upon thousands of meteors raining down from the sky, signifying that the Elemental Nation¡¯s army had arrived.

    Without any fanfare, the countless meteors landed on the demons within the fortress, killing them in an instant. While some collided with the fortress itself, causing it to collapse, the majority rained down upon the city, unleashing a complete massacre.

    Screams and wailing rang out briefly before falling silent as hundreds of thousands of demons perished amid the flames. Countless structures collapsed and all signs of life vanished.

    The war had begun.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49

    Torg stood on the head of his winged serpent and gazed down upon the ruined city, trying to ignore the countless charred corpses. He recalled the tragedies inflicted by the demons over the past few centuries to steady his resolve. Only then did he look away.

    ¡°Onward,¡± Torg shouted, his expression grim.

    Dropping to the ground, he arrived in front of the Sin Dimension¡¯s gateway. The rest of the Solar Flare Legion landed behind him, followed by the other legions.

    Rammy walked up to Torg. ¡°We should expect heavy resistance on the other side. Let me be the vanguard.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Torg agreed, knowing best how high Rammy¡¯s defenses were.

    Cracking her neck, Rammy grinned and cast a skill.

    Clumps of metal manifested in the air before wrapping around her figure.

    From a dwarf with a small stature, she quickly enlarged to become a giant humanoid golem. Now towering over fifty feet tall, she barreled through the gateway, disappearing within. A group of generals from her Warden Legion followed after her sporting similar forms.

    At the same time, Torg gave commands to his trusted subordinates, all generals, on how to proceed. After that, he turned to Flynn, saying, ¡°Whether I can overpower Wrath or not depends on your assistance. I¡¯m counting on you.¡±

    Flynn nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know what to do.¡±

    By now, around half a minute had passed since Rammy disappeared, and it was time to reinforce her. Without delay, Torg charged through the gateway.

    What greeted him on the other side was utter chaos.

    Black gas covered everything, poisoning and corroding all within it, while bombs exploded as shrapnel flew haphazardly. Torg could vaguely make out the figures of metal giants under heavy fire beyond the gas, creating a humanoid wall to shield any who came through the gateway. Torg also noticed the demons had already covered Rammy and the others with their notorious corrosive liquid, known to break down all defenses.

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Torg sneered in annoyance at the black gas.

    Snapping his fingers, a wave of fire burst out from him, incinerating all the gas nearby. With his vision cleared up, Torg observed that Rammy¡¯s generals couldn¡¯t last much longer. Although they had incredible defenses, there were too many demons bombarding them with skills from the fortress surrounding the gateway.

    Torg bent his knees and jumped, soaring high into the sky.

    Before the demons could target him, he activated a celestial grade skill ¨C Great Combustion.

    WOOSH!

    Flames erupted from all the demons in Torg¡¯s sight, turning them into humanoid fireballs. A few of the weaker ones died in moments, and under one of Torg''s passive skills, they exploded, sending flames at their allies. Their deaths set off a chain reaction, causing more to die and explode.

    Soon, the section of the fortress Torg looked at was devoid of any demons. There were even parts of the structure melting into lava.

    ¡°That¡¯s Torg Igneo! Kill him, quickly!¡± A demon commander atop the ramparts screamed in fear. Under his orders, thousands of demons locked onto Torg and cast long-ranged skills. Corrosive Bolt, Poison Bomb, Acid Rain, Weakening Curse, etc. There were all types of skills.

    Just as Torg was about to respond in kind, reinforcements came from the gateway.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    Generals from Flynn¡¯s Clearsky Legion soared up next to Torg and cast Windwall, a celestial grade skill. Though it covered a small area, the intangible wall nullified all projectile-type skills upon contact. It was enough to protect Torg.

    ¡°Lord Igneo, save your energy for Wrath. Leave everything to us,¡± one of the generals spoke.

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Torg took a deep breath to calm his bloodlust. He couldn¡¯t afford to waste any mana on these small fries.

    After the Clearsky Legion generals came the top combatants of the other legions. They all helped the metal giants defend against the demon¡¯s overwhelming assault. As more people came through the gateway, the Elemental¡¯s army slowly took the offensive. Eventually, the situation was completely reversed, and the demons started to retreat.

    A few minutes later, the legions had occupied the fortress and were now in control of both sides of the gateway. When Torg saw the majority of their army had arrived, he pulled out the Elemental Dimension Core and activated a skill that only appeared upon entering a foreign Dimension.

    (Unique, Skill) Core Locator

    Description: Activate to find the location of other Dimension Cores. No mana cost. No cooldown.

    A thin line came from the core in Torg¡¯s hand, leading deeper into the Sin Dimension.

    ¡°Follow me,¡± Torg commanded as he jumped onto his winged serpent.

    The legions rode on his heels, with Flynn flying nearby.

    Flynn knew that they were about to face Wrath and grew worried.

    Torg, sensing this, reassured him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m confident in facing him alone, but with your help, he¡¯s as good as dead.¡±

    ¡°You want to use that combo?¡± Flynn asked.

    Torg nodded, his expression solemn.

    ¡°Even your legion¡¯s generals can¡¯t stand the heat when we do that. You¡¯ll be alone,¡± Flynn reminded.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Torg shook his head.

    While the Elemental Nation¡¯s industry couldn¡¯t compare to the Innate Nation¡¯s, their specialty lay in combining their skills. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for a dozen people to link their skills together, even if they didn¡¯t know each other. As Torg¡¯s element was fire, he didn¡¯t synergize well with earth and water, so Flynn was the sole ruler he could combine with.

    Time passed quickly.

    Half an hour later, a sprawling metropolis appeared in the distance, with a murky grey river running through the middle. Torg could see a demon army getting into formation outside the city¡¯s vicinity, but since Torg had rushed here, they weren¡¯t completely prepared.

    Even then, the army numbered in the millions.

    Seeing that a massive battle was about to begin, the legion¡¯s generals gave out orders. Everyone dismissed their mounts and started linking with their teammates, forming giant elemental golems. Inside each golem hovered groups of people, with the person in control centered at the chest.

    This golem combination skill had undergone thousands of years of refinement and was the best method for the Elemental Nation to display their innate gifts. It boasted high defense, mobility, and attack power. The only way to deal damage to the people inside was to deplete their mana, causing the golem to disperse. Other than that, it had no weaknesses.

    In total, there were tens of thousands of golems, each with a height above fifty feet.

    As the legions prepared themselves for combat, Torg did as well.

    He carefully withdrew three pieces of transcendent grade equipment from his inventory. They were a ring, shoulder pads, and gloves. After so many years of use, their durability had dropped below 50%, and with nobody capable of repairing them, Torg rarely used them.

    His overall power soared the moment he put them on.

    Ignoring the skills they came with, just the increased percentages to his stats were far higher than what celestial grade equipment gave. As for the skills attached to the items, they were all transcendent grades in quality.

    Upon equipping the three items, Torg drank a dozen potent celestial grade potions in one go, further boosting his strength. And when his subordinates buffed him with several skills, Torg felt so much energy pumping through him that he couldn¡¯t keep his flames under control.

    Without warning, pure white flames burst out from his body, turning his surroundings black.

    He did not activate any skill.

    Just the casual usage of his Fire Manipulation was enough to break apart space!

    Quite literally, Torg had reached the ceiling of strength allowed in the Grandsky Realm.

    He was level 1,000, possessed three pieces of transcendent grade equipment, seven transcendent grade skills, and had level 1,000 Fire Manipulation, along with dozens of skills at level 1,000.

    Of the few who could match him, one of them was Wrath.

    Above the demon army, he currently stood with arms crossed. With a figure several times larger than the average demon, he boasted steel-like muscles and had long black hair that covered his face. Between the strands, you could barely make out a pair of bloodshot eyes.

    By Torg¡¯s side hovered Rammy, Flynn, and Isabel, while Wrath was alone.

    Torg¡¯s blitzkrieg strategy had worked, giving him a precious few minutes to engage Wrath before Greed and Gluttony arrived. Before that happened, he needed to critically wound or kill Wrath.

    A mighty task, were he alone.

    But with Flynn backing him up, Torg had full confidence that he would emerge the victor today. Spreading his arms, he spoke, ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡±

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50

    Out of the four Dimensions within the Grandsky Realm, the Sin Dimension was the most peculiar. It didn¡¯t grant innate gifts to all its natives. Instead, it selected seven people whose personalities best corresponded to the seven deadly sins. The chosen ones acquired a whole slew of abilities and specific progression paths unique to them.

    Some had it easier than others.

    For example, Gluttony needed to eat items, whether food or otherwise, to progress its innate gift, while Envy had to be jealous of other¡¯s traits or belongings.

    Of the original seven sins, there were three still alive: Wrath, Gluttony, and Greed.

    Each was level 1,000 and had developed their innate gifts for thousands of years.

    Wrath was the strongest among them.

    As a person, he was easily irritable, and due to his skills warping his personality further, he had no tolerance whatsoever. The slightest disagreement would result in him losing his mind, sending him on a rampage. Many in the Sin Dimension considered him a menace.

    That was why when a commander from the demon army flew up to Wrath, they kept their distance and spoke carefully, ¡°Lord Wrath, we¡¯ve informed Greed and Gluttony about the situation. They¡¯re on their way.¡±

    ¡°How long?¡± Wrath growled, his voice rumbling.

    The commander gulped. ¡°Uh, about five minutes.¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t make it.¡± Wrath pointed into the distance at the arriving Elemental Nation¡¯s army.

    The commander turned around. ¡°There¡¯s so many!¡±

    Wrath spotted Torg, who was in the middle of drinking potions and spoke angrily. ¡°They¡¯re here for the Sin Dimension Core.¡±

    ¡°What about the Blockade? Have they abandoned their frontline?¡± The commander was visibly anxious.

    Wrath ignored the commander, whoever he was, and clenched his hands, muttering, ¡°Torg wants to kill me?¡±

    The demon commander saw the crazed look in Wrath¡¯s eyes. Knowing what was about to happen, he fled back to the army below. Right as he left, Wrath raised his head to the sky and roared.

    BOOOOM!

    A visible shockwave erupted from Wrath¡¯s mouth.

    At the same time, a phantom emerged from Wrath¡¯s back and hovered behind him. It had no discernable form, appearing mist-like. The only noticeable feature was a pair of red eyes. It loomed over Wrath as if it possessed him.

    On the other side of the battlefield, Torg activated Inferno Blaze Embodiment and flew high into the sky to avoid affecting the legions from what was about to happen.

    Wrath, seeing Torg move, stamped his feet on the air as if it were solid ground and pushed off. His figure blurred, traveling so fast it was like he was teleporting. In several steps, he crossed half a mile and appeared next to Torg.

    ¡°DIE!¡± With an enraged shout, Wrath punched out.

    Unflustered, Torg activated another of his ultimate skills as his head exploded from the blow. When Wrath saw his attack succeed, he briefly awoke from his rage, confounded that Torg had died so easily.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    At that moment, Torg¡¯s voice came from his supposed corpse, ¡°Incineration Domain.¡±

    Following his words, a massive change occurred.

    An expanding circle spread out from Torg¡¯s recovering elemental form, transforming everything within a thousand feet into a world of flame. The temperature warped and distorted the air as Wrath immediately combusted into flames.

    ¡°AHH!¡± Wrath screamed in agony, but the pain only propelled him further into madness as the Asura phantom behind him grew in size. The damage he took raised his stats until the Incineration Domain could no longer hurt him.

    Wrath, still aflame, glared menacingly at Torg¡¯s recovered body.

    ¡°Not enough, huh?¡± Torg spoke after seeing Wrath¡¯s skin had merely melted a little.

    Suddenly, Torg teleported a short distance away as Wrath slapped out.

    A black arc spread from where he previously stood, destroying the space there entirely. Torg was inwardly startled. Without using any skills, Wrath¡¯s physical prowess alone was enough to shatter space.

    It seemed he had underestimated Wrath¡¯s growth.

    Like him, Wrath had gotten stronger since their last clash years ago.

    But it didn¡¯t matter.

    Torg raised a hand and made a signal.

    Outside the Incineration Domain, Flynn ignored the sweat dripping down his face and activated his Wind Manipulation skill. Pointing forward, he spared no expense to summon dozens of tornados, which burrowed into the Incineration Domain.

    Like stoking a fire, the tornados caused the flame element within the Incineration Domain to grow especially active. The temperature rose even further and turned all the flames pure white.

    Even though Flynn was outside the Incineration Domain, his armor started melting.

    However, he couldn¡¯t retreat.

    He needed to constantly infuse wind into the Incineration Domain to maintain its enhanced state.

    Meanwhile, inside the Incineration Domain, Wrath¡¯s anguished screams rang out as his body broke down. The demon was in so much pain he couldn¡¯t help but randomly punch and kick out, each blow shattering space.

    Nearby, Torg reformed his elemental body and sighed with relief. Maintaining both the Inferno Blaze Embodiment and Incineration Domain took a large toll on Torg¡¯s mind, making his reactions slower than normal.

    During the time it took Flynn to take action, Wrath had ripped apart Torg¡¯s body six times. Thankfully, he developed his Inferno Blaze Embodiment skill, allowing him to endure whatever Wrath threw at him.

    ¡°This damn berserker¡­¡± Torg muttered in frustation.

    Wrath gained stats the lower his health dropped.

    If you didn¡¯t kill him in a single blow, you could only chip away at his health.

    Like now.

    Torg kept his distance and focused on channeling the Incineration Domain, watching as Wrath¡¯s body deteriorated.

    The flames stripped away his body bit by bit.

    First went his skin, then his tendons and muscles.

    Eventually, only bones remained.

    A normal person wouldn¡¯t be able to survive in such a state, yet it was at this point that Wrath was at his strongest. The phantom behind him had congealed to an almost solid state. Even now, its red eyes stared at Torg, making him shudder.

    ¡°Still not enough?¡± Torg frowned when he observed his enhanced Incineration Domain was unable to melt Wrath¡¯s bones.

    Just then, a commotion in the distance drew Torg¡¯s attention.

    Looking over, he saw that Rammy and Isabel had engaged two demons in combat, one plump and the other thin. Greed and Gluttony had arrived. Time was running out.

    Torg turned back to Wrath and was alarmed.

    The phantom was in the middle of fusing with Wrath¡¯s body.

    Torg didn¡¯t know what that meant, but it couldn¡¯t be good.

    Clenching his teeth, he deactivated Inferno Blaze Embodiment and dedicated all his mental focus to channeling his Incineration Domain. Raising his hands, he squeezed the air.

    The moment he did so, the Incineration Domain started shrinking.

    A thousand feet in diameter¡­

    Seven hundred feet¡­

    Five hundred feet¡­

    Torg gasped for breath.

    Three hundred feet was his limit.

    He couldn¡¯t compress the Incineration Domain any further.

    Fortunately, it was enough.

    Wrath¡¯s bones had begun to melt.

    Torg went all out to maintain the condensed Incineration Domain, pushing his focus to the limit. Just as Wrath was on the verge of perishing, an anguished scream reached Torg¡¯s ears.

    Alarmed, Torg looked over and saw Flynn clutching a gaping hole in his neck. Chasing behind him was a familiar humanoid lizard.

    ¡°TYRANUS!¡± Torg roared, his eyes turning bloodshot.

    Critically wounded, Flynn fled for his life, with Tyranus hot on his trail. Although Rammy and Isabel wanted to help, Gluttony and Greed locked them down.

    There was nobody to assist Flynn.

    Except him.

    During that moment, the world in Torg¡¯s eyes slowed down.

    He had a choice to make.

    A few more seconds was all he needed to finish off Wrath, even without Flynn¡¯s help.

    Victory against the Sin Dimension was in sight ¨C something he yearned for day and night. He was so, so close.

    And yet¡­.

    He decided to give it up.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51

    Dismissing the Incineration Domain, Torg reactivated Inferno Blaze Embodiment and teleported next to Flynn, impeding Tyranus¡¯ path. Without hesitation, Torg pointed forward with all five fingers and used a transcendent grade skill ¨C Scorched Fireworm.

    The air distorted around Torg¡¯s hand as small, needle-sized fire snakes shot out from his fingertips. They homed in on Tyranus at super-sonic speed, leaving black streaks in their path.

    Tyranus¡¯ expression remained placid as its body contorted to unnatural angles, avoiding the Fireworms without slowing its momentum. Raising its claw, it was just about to pierce through Torg¡¯s chest when it felt its back heat up.

    The Fireworms had spun around!

    Acting quickly, Tyranus¡¯ tail smacked the air with such speed it was like hitting solid ground. The recoil sent it flying to the side, narrowly avoiding the Fireworms once again. However, like a hunter seeking out its prey, the Fireworms chased after Tyranus, forcing it into a continuous retreat.

    Torg kept half of his focus on Tyranus and turned to Flynn, who was clutching his neck in a panic.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± Torg spoke and raised a finger.

    Flynn winced when he saw what Torg was about to do.

    Cauterize!

    A flame erupted from Torg¡¯s finger and burrowed into Flynn¡¯s neck, searing his flesh. At the same time, it stopped all bleeding effects. With Flynn¡¯s life out of danger, Torg returned his attention to Tyranus, who was still dodging the Fireworms.

    ¡°You can¡¯t avoid them forever. They won¡¯t disappear until they hit their target,¡± Torg spoke to Tyranus, his belly full of anger.

    Tyranus continued to retreat for several seconds before realizing Torg spoke true. Narrowing its eyes, it decided to test the waters and reached out to grab one of the Fireworms.

    Torg sneered at the sight.

    Although it was made of flame, the Fireworm broke through the scales on Tyranus'' hand and burrowed into its palm, dealing a million points in damage.

    Tyranus jumped back, and as another Fireworm approached, it swiped the air, creating a black rift. When the Fireworm disappeared within, Torg¡¯s expression shifted, and he quickly took control of the remaining worms before the same thing happened to them.

    Tyranus tried the same tactic, but now that Torg was in command, the Fireworms easily snaked past the rift. Tyranus¡¯ body warped repeatedly, expertly avoiding the Fireworms every time.

    Torg¡¯s expression was grim.

    He was mentally exhausted after his fight with Wrath and used the Scorched Fireworms to buy time to recover. Thinking of Wrath, he glanced over and saw that although the demon was in a terrible state, he was quickly recovering. Parts of his flesh had regrown.

    ¡°Go and stop Wrath!¡± Torg shouted at Flynn, who grimaced with a nod.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    Suddenly, Torg¡¯s connection with his Fireworms cut off.

    His heart trembled when he turned back to Tyranus, shocked at what he saw.

    The monster was now fully equipped in armor, donning sleek silver-grey leather that followed the contours of its body. In its hands was a pair of glistening daggers, which had just sliced Torg¡¯s Fireworms in half.

    ¡°You can use equipment?!¡± Torg¡¯s eyes bulged.

    He recognized the items Tyranus was using. They were what the top combatant of the Conceptual Dimension, Elusius, had worn before her death. The silver-grey leather chest, boots, and helmet were transcendent grade, while the daggers were the best celestial grade weapons you could find.

    Torg was alarmed.

    A transcendent grade monster already boasted higher stats than what a person could acquire, and with equipment added to the equation, he had no idea how high Tyranus¡¯ current stats were.

    Just then, Tyranus¡¯ figure blurred, moving beyond what Torg could react to. Pain blossomed from his chest as his entire torso burst apart like fireworks. Fortunately, Torg was in his Inferno Blaze Embodiment mode, and he swiftly recovered. Teleporting away, he clenched his teeth and, enduring the burden, activated his Incineration Domain.

    When his senses combined with the domain, he observed Tyranus approaching him like a missile, its posture low and daggers at the ready. Now able to perceive Tyranus, Torg multicast another transcendent grade skill - Laser Bolt.

    WHOOSH!

    Six red lines appeared next to Torg and traversed space as if they were teleporting. They collided with Tyranus, three hitting its limbs, one on its head, and two in the gut. The force behind the attack sent Tyranus flying as its health plummeted by a couple of million.

    Torg looked at Tyranus¡¯ nameplate and noticed its health was in the several hundred million range. His attack, while effective, barely put a dent in its overall health. Worse, Laser Bolt had a ten second cooldown. He couldn¡¯t spam it.

    Tyranus somersaulted and kicked the air, shooting toward Torg.

    Another benefit of the Incineration Domain was that it drastically reduced Torg¡¯s teleport cooldown. He consecutively teleported away, casting lower grade skills one after another.

    Fireball!

    Firebolt!

    Fire Bomb!

    Torg made full use of his arsenal, yet Tyranus was like a nimble monkey, deftly dodging most of what Torg sent at it. Though Tyranus¡¯ health was dropping, Torg wasn¡¯t in his best condition. Dealing with Wrath had consumed over half of his mana pool. He didn¡¯t have enough to slay Tyranus.

    After gaining some distance from Tyranus, Torg briefly looked over the entire battlefield, dismayed at what he saw. Rammy and Isabel were locked in a stalemate with Greed and Gluttony, Flynn was engaged in combat with Wrath, while the legions below were in a bitter battle with the demons.

    Tyranus¡¯ intervention had negated any advantage the Elemental Nation had.

    Although Torg was frustrated beyond belief, he remained rational and ultimately made a decision. His voice rang across the battlefield, ¡°All troops, retreat to the gateway!¡±

    Under his command, the legions disengaged, covering their retreat as they fell back. The demons didn¡¯t pursue. Unlike the Elemental Nation¡¯s army, they had suffered heavy losses.

    Flynn, Isabel, and Rammy detoured Torg¡¯s Incineration Domain. As they passed, they gave him worried looks. Torg waved his hand, shouting, ¡°Go! I¡¯ll be right there!¡±

    The moment of distraction allowed Tyranus to close the distance.

    ¡°Enough,¡± Torg sneered. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a pushover?¡±

    Torg promptly used his highest level transcendent grade skill ¨C Solar Lance.

    A spear of condensed blue plasma extended outward from his star-like arm, reaching a dozen feet in length. Accompanied by a low hum, the air around it distorted dangerously.

    As Tyranus approached, Torg swiped out.

    Tyranus raised its dagger to block, but Torg¡¯s Solar Lance cut right through its dagger and severed its arm. Tyranus¡¯ eyes widened in surprise. Its body shifted, and for the first time during the fight, it used a skill.

    Doppelganger!

    Tyranus split into five copies, each no different than the other.

    Instead of retreating, Tyranus and its clones pushed forward.

    ¡°It¡¯s futile!¡± Torg shouted as he swung his arm.

    His Solar Lance extended another dozen feet during the motion, catching Tyranus off-guard. The lance bisected all the clones in one go. As they dispersed, Tyranus finally decided to call it quits. It had already achieved its goal.

    Torg hovered motionlessly as he watched Tyranus leave the range of his Incineration Domain and disappear into the distance. Holding back his exhaustion, Torg soon caught up with Flynn, Rammy, Isabel, and the legions at the gateway.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52

    By the time Torg arrived at the gateway, most of the legions had already passed through. Rammy, Flynn, and Isabel were hovering in the air. Rammy had an unsightly expression as Torg flew over to them. ¡°Where¡¯s Tyranus?¡±

    ¡°I scared it off, but it''s surely lurking nearby,¡± Torg grunted, his fatigue catching up.

    Flynn and Isabel looked around warily as Rammy continued, ¡°What do we do now?¡±

    Torg rubbed his forehead, thinking briefly. ¡°We¡¯ll hold the gateway from the Grandsky Realm¡¯s side. It¡¯s too good of a foothold to give up.¡±

    Rammy agreed. ¡°Just as well. We were so close¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not over yet,¡± Isabel scoffed. ¡°Do you think Wrath will sit still after our assault?¡±

    Torg glanced at Isabel. ¡°He won¡¯t. That¡¯s why I need to borrow your transcendent grade necklace.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Isabel denied, her tone firm.

    Each of them had transcendent grade gear, with Torg having three, the most among them. His specialized in attack power, while Isabel had an invaluable mana recovery focused necklace.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Torg raised an eyebrow. ¡°Do you want to hold back Wrath then?¡±

    Flynn placed a hand on Isabel¡¯s shoulder. When she looked over, he shook his head, saying, ¡°Give it to him.¡±

    Isabel felt betrayed.

    Flynn¡¯s tone softened, ¡°Torg chose to save my life over killing Wrath. He¡¯s proven his character.¡±

    Torg gave Flynn a deep glance as Isabel fell silent.

    After a few moments, Isabel clenched her teeth and lifted the necklace off her neck before tossing it to Torg. Without saying a word, she turned and flew through the gateway below.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Flynn said, then followed after her.

    Torg put on the jeweled necklace, immediately feeling its effects. If before it would take him a week or longer to recover his mana to full, then now it would take merely a few days.

    With a relieved sigh, he turned to Rammy, ¡°Can you take command? I need to rest.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± Rammy¡¯s eyes lit up.

    As Torg went to leave, Rammy spoke up, ¡°I¡¯m surprised you saved Flynn.¡±

    ¡°Me too,¡± Torg replied, disappearing in the gateway shortly after.

    Over the following hours, Rammy and her Warden Legion built simple fortifications around the gateway using their earth manipulation abilities, which the Solar Flare Legion then smelted using fire. It wasn¡¯t a pretty sight, but it got the job done. They had to wait for their craftsmen to arrive to build a real defense.

    During that time, the Stormsea Legion washed away the debris of the destroyed demon city to make room for everyone to rest. Countless tents now occupied the surrounding area. Earlier, the legions had decimated the unprepared demon army, and with barely any casualties, they were in high spirits. Many gathered around campfires, drinking and celebrating.

    A common topic among them was Torg.

    ¡°Wrath was no match for Lord Igneo,¡± a youth exclaimed, his eyes burning with reverence.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± an older man grinned. ¡°His Incineration Domain was quite the sight.¡±

    The youth sighed. ¡°I wonder how long it¡¯ll take me to reach his height. My Fire Manipulation skill just passed level 650.¡±

    While the legions also discussed Flynn, Isabel, and Rammy, Torg had a special position in their hearts. The strongest were always respected.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Soon, night fell, and the clamor died down.

    The night passed without any movement from the gateway.

    Sometime in the morning, the teleportation array leading to the Elemental Dimension lit up, and a group of Solar Flare legion members appeared. The one in the lead was visibly anxious, and upon surveying their surroundings, they shouted, ¡°Where¡¯s a commanding officer?! I have an urgent report!¡±

    A Warden general who happened to be nearby flew over.

    Wearing a frown, they asked, ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± The soldier stepped closer and lowered his voice, ¡°I¡¯m in the communications division. Every morning, I make contact with thirty-six outposts spread out across nine of our border zones, ensuring that nothing¡¯s wrong. About an hour ago, I wasn¡¯t able to reach outpost Clover, so I sent out a team to check things out.¡±

    Taking a breath, the soldier continued, ¡°It¡¯s gone.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± The general blinked.

    ¡°It¡¯s been razed to the ground,¡± the soldier struggled to stay calm. ¡°All 266 personnel stationed there are dead. And that¡¯s not the end of it. After I received the report, I attempted to make contact with the other thirty-five outposts under my jurisdiction. None of them responded. Fearing the worst, I rushed over here immediately.¡±

    The general¡¯s expression was downcast. ¡°I¡¯ll report to my lord.¡±

    Moments later, the general found Rammy and recounted what she heard.

    ¡°Slimeballs!¡± Rammy stood up from her seat and slammed the table in front of her, shattering it into pieces.

    ¡°It¡¯s surely the work of demons,¡± the general revealed her thoughts. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the ones harassing our borders to launch a counter-attack so quickly, especially one so coordinated.¡±

    Rammy paced around the tent, struggling to remain calm.

    At that moment, Flynn and Isabel entered the tent upon hearing the commotion. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    The general respectfully repeated what she heard.

    Isabel was worried. ¡°We should lead a legion to wipe them out as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Rammy denied. ¡°According to our scouts, the demons inside the Sin Dimension are gathering their forces. We can¡¯t afford to split up our troops.¡±

    ¡°Then what should we do? We can¡¯t let demons push into our heartlands. Who knows how many people will die?¡± Isabel responded, deeply regretting their recent actions. If they hadn¡¯t attacked Wrath, none of this would have happened.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Rammy had no answers.

    Flynn suddenly spoke up. ¡°What about the Innate Nation?¡±

    Isabel and Rammy looked to Flynn as he continued, ¡°We can ask them for assistance. I once observed them defending the Blockade. They have troops to spare.¡±

    Rammy¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea.¡±

    Turning to her general, Rammy ordered, ¡°Linda, go to that High Commander of the Innate Nation post haste. Accept whatever demands he has, as long as it isn¡¯t unreasonable.¡±

    ¡°As you command,¡± The general saluted before rushing out of the tent.

    After a moment of silence, Isabel asked, ¡°Should we inform Torg?¡±

    Rammy paused, then shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t disturb his rest.¡±

    Meanwhile, Warden General Linda took one teleportation array after another, crossing a third of the Grandsky Realm in minutes. In no time, she was back in the Elemental Nation¡¯s capital. From there, she took three more teleportation arrays and arrived at the Blockade.

    With her authority, none from the Innate Nation¡¯s army gave her any trouble.

    Soon, she stood before High Commander Markus, who looked at her with a slight smile. ¡°What can I do for you?¡±

    Warden General Linda briefly explained the situation, then said, ¡°As Lord Rammy¡¯s representative, I formally request assistance from the Innate Nation to push back the demons invading our heartlands and defend our border zones.¡±

    Markus rubbed his chin. ¡°It isn¡¯t impossible¡­¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Warden General Linda remained patient, knowing that getting the Innate Nation¡¯s help wouldn¡¯t come without a price.

    ¡°For starters¡­¡± Markus promptly listed off a bunch of items, which caused Warden General Linda to clench her hands.

    ¡°That¡¯s too much!¡± Warden General Linda shook her head.

    Markus smiled. ¡°Are you sure? Why don¡¯t you tell me how long it¡¯ll take you to resolve the war you started with the Sin Dimension?¡±

    Warden General Linda was speechless.

    ¡°Taking over half of the Blockade is already pushing the limits of what my army can do, and now you want me to send troops to defend your borders for an indeterminable amount of time,¡± Markus spread his hands. ¡°We aren¡¯t that capable.¡±

    ¡°But if I accept your demands, you are?¡± Warden General Linda sneered.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Markus nodded without any shame.

    ¡°Fine!¡± Warden General Linda relented, knowing that the situation outside the Sin Dimension¡¯s gateway was critical. ¡°How long will it take you to mobilize?¡±

    ¡°Not long,¡± Markus counted with his fingers. ¡°A few hours.¡±

    ¡°You said it,¡± Warden General Linda was relieved to hear that. With every passing moment, the demons pushed deeper into their territory, pillaging whatever they came across. The fact the Innate Nation¡¯s military could move out so quickly left her surprised, almost as if they were expecting her. But that wasn¡¯t possible.

    ¡°I need to report the news to Lord Rammy. Farewell,¡± Warden General Linda saluted and made her way out of the command center.

    Shortly after she left, Yara emerged from a side room, a pleased expression plastered across her face. Markus sighed at the sight. ¡°Are you always this smug when your divinations come to fruition?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t I be?¡± Yara tilted her head.

    Markus shrugged. ¡°I must admit, I didn¡¯t expect you to know this would happen as far as a week ago.¡±

    Yara chuckled. ¡°Nobody knows that with every decision they make, they leave behind traces of Karma. All I have to do is listen.¡±

    ¡°Is it that simple?¡± Markus grew thoughtful.

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Yara raised her chin.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53

    It had been some time since the Innate Nation¡¯s army took up station at the Blockade. There were now residential neighborhoods surrounding the military bases, with streets, plant life, and all.

    Among the many homes, there was one occupied by Major General Frod.

    Inside the secluded courtyard, Keith stood across from the old Guardian, a shortsword in one hand and a buckler in the other. Frod¡¯s bald head reflected the sunlight above as he casually held a sword of his own, wearing flip-flops, shorts, a pink tank top, and sunglasses.

    Suddenly, Keith took swift steps to close the distance ¨C making sure his speed didn¡¯t surpass 1,000 agility ¨C and tried to break through Frod¡¯s guard.

    A swipe, cleave, thrust.

    Keith tried everything he knew.

    From time to time, Frod tapped Keith with the flat side of his weapon, shouting, ¡°Wrong. Use your wrist, ya hear.¡±

    As they sparred, Keith used Mind Division and Mind Enhancement to analyze his fighting style. He absorbed Frod¡¯s advice like a sponge soaking up water, improving quickly.

    Congratulations! Your Sword Mastery skill has leveled up to 334!

    Two days ago, Keith decided to work on his close combat skills, acquiring the Sword Mastery skill for the first time. On the first day, Keith soared to level 212 under Frod¡¯s mentorship, then level 302 on the second day.

    Due to having to defend the Blockade, and including the resting period, Keith could only train with Frod for two hours a day. Even then, his progress was blazingly fast, so much so that Frod had to intentionally hold back from overpraising Keith.

    Of course, Frod was a huge factor as to why Keith was growing so quickly.

    Frod, being one of the four Guardians, and surpassing five hundred years in age, had a well-developed arsenal of skills. He was the best person to have as a tutor.

    Soon enough, two hours went by, and Keith reluctantly put away his weapon.

    He sighed, ¡°It was a little difficult to level Sword Manipulation today.¡±

    Frod nearly choked on his saliva. ¡°Lil¡¯ bro, you reached level 300 in two days, yo. Temper your expectations, ya?¡±

    Keith no longer cringed upon hearing Frod¡¯s peculiar speech.

    Rubbing his neck, Keith replied, ¡°I know, I know.¡±

    ¡°Hear me out, yo.¡± Frod began explaining, ¡°Above level 300, you need to take everything you learned about the sword and make it instinctual. It¡¯ll take time, straight up.¡±

    Keith raised an eyebrow. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t constant fighting quicken the process?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Frod grinned. ¡°Just don¡¯t go testing your sword skills against some divine grade monster, Lil¡¯ bro.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Keith promised.

    At that moment, a beep came from Frod¡¯s magic tablet lying on a nearby bench. Frod walked over and picked it up. Upon reading the message, his expression shifted.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Keith probed, noticing that Frod¡¯s happy mood had vanished.

    Frod glanced at Keith, and after thinking for a moment, informed him about recent events regarding the Elemental Nation, as well as Rammy¡¯s request for help.

    Keith couldn¡¯t help but become somewhat disillusioned. ¡°So we¡¯re going to war with the Sin Dimension?¡±

    While killing monsters at the Blockade was morally acceptable, hunting down demons didn¡¯t feel right. Unlike monsters, demons possessed free will, just like humans, orcs, elves, and dwarves. They had hopes and dreams. Families.

    Keith didn¡¯t like the direction the Innate Nation was taking with this decision.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like it either, yo,¡± Frod sighed heavily, his age apparent. ¡°Unfortunately, that¡¯s just how the world is, Lil¡¯ bro.¡±

    Keith tried to understand his father¡¯s intentions.

    Markus wanted to unite the Grandsky Realm.

    Yet by setting out on this mission, Markus positioned himself against Torg and Wrath, resulting in more conflict. It was contradictory. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to lay down his ambition and let Torg become the Grandsky Realm¡¯s sole ruler? Wouldn¡¯t that avoid countless deaths?

    Maybe Keith was just being na?ve.

    After a few moments of silence, Keith recalled his encounter with the demon Isuni and shared his thoughts with Frod, ¡°The demons aren¡¯t pushovers. Considering they have superior items and levels, in addition to the fact we still need to defend the Blockade, who can we spare to send over?¡±

    ¡°Half of the top hundred on the Blockade event¡¯s leaderboard plus all of our reserve troops are mobilizing for this mission,¡± Frod revealed with a heavy tone.

    ¡°What?!¡± Keith was shocked and angered.

    As Keith ranked 54th yesterday, he knew how much firepower he brought to the battlefield. Missing half of the top hundred would result in significantly more casualties.

    And that wasn¡¯t counting the reserve forces.

    For people who were too exhausted to fight, they were usually replaced by someone from the reserve until they recovered. Without reserve forces, nobody would have time to rest.

    ¡°What are my father and grandmother thinking?!¡± Keith grew agitated, on the verge of shouting.

    ¡°Calm your horses, Lil¡¯ Bro, it isn¡¯t as bad as you think,¡± Frod shook his head, explaining, ¡°A large reason why the top hundred are in the top hundred is because they¡¯re powered up by War Arrays. The people who replace them will receive the same benefit.¡±

    Keith calmed down a little. ¡°Even then, they aren¡¯t perfect replacements.¡±

    ¡°Maybe, maybe not. You¡¯re also neglecting something, yo.¡± Frod continued, ¡°If your concern is causalities at the Blockade, then by accepting Rammy¡¯s request, this mission might help more than hurt.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± Keith was befuddled, unsure of Frod¡¯s reasoning.

    Frod wore a sad smile, ¡°Killing a celestial grade monster doesn¡¯t guarantee loot. But what about these demons? They¡¯ve lived for far longer than us and surely possess great wealth. It¡¯s way more lucrative to kill them and snatch their equipment for ourselves. Who knows? One might even have a full set of celestial grade equipment.¡±

    Keith was stunned silly.

    After a moment, he said, ¡°Well, I can¡¯t argue against that. It just feels¡­¡±

    ¡°Repulsive?¡± Frod finished.

    Keith nodded.

    Frod looked at the ground with a gaze reminiscent of a tired soldier. ¡°Before Lady Yara came to the Innate Dimension, there was no civilized society. Instead, there were tribes of various sizes, each vying with each other for supremacy. I was around your age when I started fighting for my tribe, killing for glory and honor. It seemed like there was no end to it.¡±

    Keith listened silently as Frod went on, ¡°And then Lady Yara arrived with supreme strength. She united the tribes and brought peace. The population exploded, and technology advanced. The world as we knew it became safe.¡±

    ¡°First the Innate Dimension, and now the Grandsky Realm? When will it end?¡± Keith chuckled bittlerly.

    Frod looked at Keith, answering, ¡°One step at a time, Lil¡¯ bro.¡±

    Shifting topics, Keith said, ¡°Well, even though I¡¯m in the top hundred, I don¡¯t want to go killing demons. I¡¯ll remain at the Blockade.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± Frod nodded. ¡°You aren¡¯t in the military, yo, there¡¯s no expectation for you to participate.¡±

    Although Frod was directly subordinate to Markus, his loyalty lay with Yara. He knew she didn¡¯t want Keith actively involved in the military¡¯s affairs. He was relieved by Keith¡¯s intention to stay at the Blockade, where it was considerably safer and more predictable.

    After a moment of silence, Keith asked, ¡°Are you going?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Frod revealed.

    ¡°Even though you don¡¯t support it?¡± Keith questioned.

    Frod chuckled, stating firmly, ¡°I do what¡¯s necessary.¡±

    Keith didn¡¯t know what to say to that.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54

    After the sparring session ended, Keith returned to the house he had purchased near Section B34. The last two days had been equal parts fulfilling and exhausting. He first had to defend the Blockade for several hours, then train with Frod for two hours. He spent the rest of the time taking it easy.

    As soon as Keith walked in the door, he kicked off his shoes, got a chilled smoothie from the fridge, and collapsed onto the couch. While sipping from his drink, he browsed different pages on the magic tablet.

    Compared to the Innate Dimension, the Grandsky Realm had 100 times more items.

    Keith usually spent a portion of his day learning what other people had found to enrich his knowledge base.

    For an adventurer, knowledge was king.

    It might even be the difference between life and death.

    At least, that¡¯s what one of his teachers used to say.

    Upon finishing his smoothie, Keith inwardly groaned and pulled out an elixir, taking small sips. One of his highest priorities was to max out the stats he could gain from elixirs. To that end, he forced himself to drink 25 of them every day. If not for the phenomenal taste, he didn¡¯t know if he could do it.

    Elixirs were the only thing Keith spent his Blockade Event¡¯s contribution points on.

    Once the military instated the five divine grade skill exchange limit, he hadn¡¯t bought any more, waiting for a skill that caught his eye. At the same time, he was saving up for a big purchase.

    He had two items in mind: a celestial grade skill or a Mana Reactor.

    Besides divine grade skills, of which the monsters at the Blockade dropped a few dozen a day, they also dropped one to two celestial grade skills.

    However, they were absurdly expensive ¨C at around the same price as a Mana Reactor.

    In Keith¡¯s hands, a celestial grade skill would perform as a transcendent grade skill.

    He had already tasted the might of a transcendent grade skill once.

    Considering Keith¡¯s current level, they were without a doubt a trump card.

    The downside was they consumed colossal amounts of mana.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Even with Mana Battery, Keith was limited to ten to twenty casts of a transcendent grade skill before acquiring severe Mana Sickness.

    As for the Mana Reactor, Keith didn¡¯t want it to power an array or use it for a business endeavor. No, he wanted to store it in his Collection Grimoire.

    Mana Reactors were quite an enigma.

    Nobody knew who created them.

    The sole thing Keith could get out of Frisk was that it involved an innate gift.

    It was regarded as a top military secret, and for good reason.

    Mana Reactors could pull mana from the surrounding environment far more effectively than a mana gathering array ever could, and had robust durability. A mana gathering array lasted a week or two before breaking down, while a Mana Reactor lasted years.

    For such a unique item, Keith had high hopes it would unlock a new function for his Collection Grimoire.

    And it wasn¡¯t just Keith who wanted a Mana Reactor.

    Many people were interested in possessing one.

    Unfortunately, the military had put up a limited amount in the Blockade¡¯s Exchange shop, five in total, with three already exchanged for, leaving two left. If it wasn¡¯t for the influx of materials acquired from the Grandsky Realm, which the military used to create more, they wouldn¡¯t have sold any at all.

    When considering Keith¡¯s current contribution points, and how many he gained daily, he would be able to exchange for one tomorrow.

    Before Keith knew it, the day was over, and he fell asleep as soon as he jumped into bed.

    In the morning, he adjusted his visual arrays and strode out to Section B34 of the Blockade. Keith waited in the air, feeling anxious about how today¡¯s battle would play out. He knew that half of the top 100 on the ranking list and the reserve troops had already left for the Elemental Nation¡¯s territory to push back the demon¡¯s advance.

    Eventually, the monster horde arrived, and Keith confidently dealt with his area, clearing all the high level monsters without much trouble. With his job done, Keith retreated, allowing the soldiers to reap the monster¡¯s lives for experience.

    Drinking some water, Keith hovered above the Blockade and scanned the battlefield, using Entangling Roots where he could to prevent any casualties. It was thanks to him that the area he oversaw had one of the lowest mortality rates, garnering widespread gratitude amongst the soldiers.

    As the battle came to a close, Keith was just about to be relieved that his fears didn¡¯t come true when an officer flew up from the backlines and approached Keith, wearing a grim expression. ¡°Sir Walker, the third Guardian of Section B34 was critically wounded and had to fall back. The monsters are about to breach the wall. They need assistance ASAP.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Keith replied, his heart clenching. Hoping that he could make it in time, he flew toward the nearest teleportation array. A soldier there had already prepared the array¡¯s settings, and Keith¡¯s surroundings blurred as he teleported to another area of Section B34.

    Alarmed shouts and monster roars came from close by, alarming Keith.

    He looked up and saw the Blockade¡¯s ramparts were in chaos. Monsters had climbed up the wall and engaged the long-ranged combatants in combat, inflicting heavy damage to the ranks.

    Keith didn¡¯t have time to think and rushed to the sky, unleashing a barrage of skills. With his arrival, he soon stabilized the situation, yet at the cost of acquiring severe Mana Sickness. No longer able to sustain the Flight skill, Keith landed on the ground and nearly collapsed right there and then.

    A medic rushed over to support him.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Keith habitually replied, his body shaking from the backlash of spending too much mana. He felt his vision darken, but before he feinted, he pulled up the Blockade¡¯s exchange shop and purchased a Mana Reactor.

    After that, he passed out.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55

    Keith woke up with a jolt.

    From passing out till now, it felt like an instant. He hadn¡¯t dreamed at all and was very disoriented.

    After taking a few minutes to recover, he found himself lying on a medical bed, except this time he was in a small room.

    Thinking nothing of it, Keith opened his status panel and found his Mana Erosion gauge at 89%. This was probably the highest it had ever been.

    As a result, Keith felt incredibly empty ¨C like someone had dug out his insides. He looked at his hands, almost expecting them to be see-through. To confirm that he still had flesh, Keith rubbed his fingers together, yet they were so numb he felt no tactile feedback. The disconnect made him nauseous.

    ¡°Crap,¡± Keith muttered, aghast by his condition.

    He didn¡¯t doubt that had he spent a few million more mana, he would¡¯ve died on the spot. Handling the monster horde in two different areas had made him overexert himself.

    However, he didn¡¯t regret it.

    What truly upset him was how long it would take to recover.

    At 89% Mana Erosion, Keith would need a week at least.

    Who would take over his position during that time?

    With half of the Blockade Event¡¯s top 100 missing, Keith being out of the picture would just make the situation worse. He was ranked 54<sup>th</sup> for a reason.

    Keith suddenly smelt something delicious.

    By the side of his bed was a dish of nutritious food, which he promptly wolfed down.

    As he rested, around fifteen minutes later, the door to the room opened and a doctor walked in. ¡°Hello, Mr. Walker. How are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°Empty,¡± Keith mustered some strength to speak.

    ¡°I imagine so,¡± The doctor took Keith¡¯s pulse, saying, ¡°Mana Sickness has become a frequent occurrence as of late. There¡¯s ongoing research on how to mitigate its effects, but nothing has come up so far. As for recovery, meditation seems to help.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try,¡± Keith responded weakly.

    The doctor glanced at Keith¡¯s empty plate and nodded with a smile. After checking up on Keith¡¯s condition, he turned to leave. Just as he reached the door, he slapped his head and said, ¡°Oh, I almost forgot. You¡¯re currently in a time-accelerated Pocket Dimension located at the Blockade. You can stay here until your Mana Sickness wears off.¡±

    Keith¡¯s mood improved upon hearing that.

    By staying in the time-accelerated Pocket Dimension, Keith could recover completely before a day passed outside. That way, he could fulfill his duty at Section B34 without someone weaker taking up his post.

    Soon, Keith drifted back to sleep.

    The next time he awoke, he remembered purchasing a Mana Reactor.

    Keith checked his inventory and was relieved to find it sitting inside.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Knowing that it was a large construct, he directly collected it without withdrawing it. The moment he did so, he felt a significant improvement in his stats.

    Opening his Collection Grimoire, Keith switched to the Function Shop and happily discovered a new function for sale.

    Mana Core Technique ¨C 100 Billion Collection Points

    Description: A method to form Mana Cores within your body. Mana Cores are solid masses of concentrated mana and indirectly increase your maximum mana pool.

    ¡°Holy slimeballs!¡± Keith was so shocked by what he read that he abruptly sat upright.

    The effect of this function was exactly what he had been hoping to acquire.

    With Mana Sickness being the ultimate limiting factor to Keith¡¯s damage output, he had desperately been searching for ways to increase his total mana. But besides elixirs, levels, and equipment, there were little to no options.

    Thankfully, collecting a Mana Reactor had given Keith a bit over 70 billion CP. Including what he had saved up before, he had enough to purchase the Mana Core Technique right away.

    As soon as he did, an influx of information surged into his brain. It detailed the exact method of how an individual should go about forming a Mana Core.

    Closing his eyes, Keith started perusing the technique engraved in his mind, yet ten minutes later, he wore a bitter smile.

    The technique was surprisingly easy.

    As long as a person had a Mana Manipulation skill above level 500 and dabbled in arrays, they could form a Mana Core.

    What made Keith feel a mix of emotions was how everyone, including himself, had overlooked the versatility of mana. They simply thought of it as a fuel source for casting skills when so much more was possible.

    The problem lay in creativity.

    Shackled by preconceived notions, nobody thought to experiment with mana to create something like a Mana Core.

    Actually, that wasn¡¯t entirely correct.

    Keith knew of one person: Frisk, who had developed a Mana Body.

    There was also Ska¡¯dur.

    Although not related to mana, Ska¡¯dur manifested his stats as a form of energy.

    Both individuals took a path nobody had taken before and were a source of inspiration.

    Keith wanted to form a Mana Core, but his current condition prevented him from doing so. He didn¡¯t dare spend any more mana. Feeling dizzy from his excitement, Keith carefully drank some water before drifting off back to sleep.

    Over the next few days, Keith spent his waking hours meditating, finding it aided his recovery slightly. By the sixth day, Keith¡¯s Mana Erosion gauge dropped to 14%, and he was finally healthy enough to attempt forming his first Mana Core.

    Sitting cross-legged atop the medical bed, Keith closed his eyes and steadied his breathing. He went over the Mana Core Technique several times, ensuring he didn¡¯t miss out on anything.

    The first step was to choose a location within your body to house the Mana Core.

    Keith selected his chest, next to his heart.

    Next, Keith mentally focused on the mana within his body.

    Under his will, a million units of mana gathered together.

    Compress.

    Compress.

    Compress!

    Keith¡¯s consciousness squeezed the mana together into a ball three inches in diameter.

    At this point, the mana started giving some resistance, as its natural state was to spread out to fill its container.

    Keith paused briefly.

    According to the Mana Core Technique, the minimum diameter for a mana core was one inch wide. Fortunately, Keith¡¯s Mana Manipulation level was sufficient enough, so he continued compressing until the ball of mana shrunk to one inch.

    Right then, a change occurred.

    Like water freezing into ice, the mana ball solidified.

    Keith didn¡¯t relax, as if left alone, the mana ball would slowly dissipate over the next few minutes. What he needed to do now was inscribe arrays across the surface of the mana ball, locking the mana in place. The arrays involved weren¡¯t overly complex, and in a few short moments, Keith successfully formed a Mana Core.

    Even though Keith¡¯s consciousness retreated, the dark blue Mana Core remained in place.

    ¡°I did it!¡± Keith cried out, punching the air in joy.

    Taking a look at his status panel, Keith found a slight change.

    Mana: 930,000/1,930,000 (+1,000,000 in reserve)

    As Keith understood it, his body was a container, with limited space.

    Forming Mana Cores effectively allowed him to store more mana even without increasing the size of the container.

    How marvelous, Keith thought, his eyes bright.

    According to the Mana Core technique, there was no upper limit to the amount of Mana Cores you could form, so long as you had high enough primary stats. There was just one teeny tiny downside. If not carefully handled, they could explode, and since they were inside your body, they might just kill you.

    Keith shrugged, confident in his abilities.

    He couldn¡¯t wait for his mana to regenerate so he could form more.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56

    To stay longer in the time-accelerated Pocket Dimension, Keith faked being sicker than he was, feeling a little guilty as he did so. Four days passed, during which he formed three more Mana Cores. He now had four Mana Cores in total.

    In a moment of need, he could choose to manually release the arrays holding the Mana Core in place to gain a million points of attuned mana.

    That was the biggest advantage Mana Cores had over Mana Battery.

    When Keith transferred mana from his Collection Grimorie to himself, it was unattuned. Attuning mana was something Keith still didn¡¯t understand, but he knew that it was a process that eroded his consciousness. Since Mana Cores were already attuned, Keith could use them without worry.

    As for the Mana Core Technique itself, Keith thought long and hard about whether he should release the information for free or sell it to the military.

    In the end, he decided to sell it.

    A few hours ago, Keith sent Yara a lengthy message over the magic network detailing the exact process. It was only now that she replied, confirming that the technique indeed worked. As for its exact value, she would let him know in at most a day.

    On another note, the Mana Reactor Keith had collected was generating far more unattuned mana in his Collection Grimoire than he expected. It was equal to 50 divine grade Mana Gathering arrays. For the foreseeable future, Keith no longer needed to constantly spend money on Mana Gathering arrays, which broke down after a week of use.

    After faking sickness for so long, Keith reluctantly decided to leave the time-accelerated Pocket Dimension. With there being limited space, it was a vital resource for injured people to recover, and Keith couldn¡¯t selfishly hog it.

    In the outside world, a day had gone by, and the next monster horde would arrive in less than six hours. With Frod departing to fight demons, Keith had to look for another tutor to teach him. He sent a message to Adeiv, knowing the well-connected man would find someone faster than he could.

    Adeiv answered after a few minutes, saying, ¡°I can find you a tutor, no problem. But did you forget I can contract a talent from one person to another?¡±

    Keith scratched his head, replying, ¡°What if my talent is already pretty good?¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t hurt to try.¡±

    With that said, Adeiv asked around, finding an expert swordsman with a Sword Mastery skill level of 745 who was currently injured and needed to recuperate. At the Blockade, where people got stronger daily, it wasn¡¯t likely for them to give up their talent unless there was a special circumstance. An injured person was the perfect candidate.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    An hour later, Keith welcomed Adeiv into his home, asking, ¡°Is it done?¡±

    ¡°Almost. Sign this, and Edlin¡¯s swordplay talent will be yours for a week,¡± Adeiv said, conjuring a glowing scroll with the snap of his fingers.

    Keith looked over the terms of the contract. Once he confirmed everything was in order, he wrote down his name. After that, the contract dissipated into motes of light that flew into his body, making Keith feel a tingling sensation.

    ¡°Is that it?¡± Keith wore a befuddled expression.

    Adeiv chuckled, explaining, ¡°A concept like talent is intangible by nature. You won¡¯t immediately notice any differences.¡±

    ¡°True,¡± Keith rubbed his chin.

    Adeiv went on to explain who Keith¡¯s new tutor was, and when his appointment with them would be. He left shortly after.

    With the monster horde arriving soon, Keith spent the next few hours browsing the magic network before heading to the Blockade, where he then fought monsters for several hours. Today went better than yesterday, with nobody asking him to reinforce another area.

    There were a few times Keith wanted to use a sword, but he thought better of it. He couldn¡¯t afford to be careless when fighting monsters way above him in level.

    Following the battle, Keith met up with his new tutor, a middle-aged elf who specialized in wielding dual shortswords. As soon as the training began, Keith immediately noticed a difference.

    Whenever he shifted his weight or angled his wrist ¨C it sometimes felt awkward.

    Keith couldn¡¯t accurately pinpoint as to why.

    All he knew was that it was wrong.

    And so, Keith went with his gut, adapting his movements until the feeling went away.

    Sword Mastery promptly gained several levels, astounding him that such small changes could make such a big difference. Keith¡¯s tutor was equally amazed by his progress, thinking that Keith was a genius.

    They didn¡¯t know that Keith had temporarily taken the talent of one of the best sword masters from the Innate Nation.

    By the time the session was over, Keith¡¯s Sword Mastery skill leveled up to 389.

    Previously, Keith¡¯s progress was slowing down, yet after his talent increased, it once more sped up. It wouldn¡¯t take more than two or three more days until he breached the level 500 threshold.

    ***

    Meanwhile, a million troops belonging to the Innate Nation arrived in the northeastern region of the Grandsky Realm. Led by Ska¡¯dur, they engaged the invading demons who were spread out across a dozen zones. Although the demons excelled in guerilla warfare, the Innate Nation¡¯s Skyships proved invaluable in chasing them down.

    Within the first few hours, the Innate army stabilized the Elemental Nation¡¯s heartlands, and together with the Elemental Nation¡¯s reserve troops, they forced the demons into a retreat.

    However, that was all.

    The moment the demons fell back to the Elemental Nation¡¯s borders, they utilized prebuilt tunnels and secret bases to elude the Innate¡¯s army. From there, the two sides engaged in numerous small clashes, with each battle involving no more than a hundred people.

    The fights started quickly and ended just as fast.

    Even when the battle was going well, if the demons took too long, they scurried away nonetheless. The tactics utilized by the demons were something the Innate army hadn¡¯t trained for.

    Thankfully, Ska¡¯dur had experience in guerilla warfare back when he was a youth, and he didn¡¯t take long to pass down orders, splitting the Innate¡¯s army into smaller, swifter groups.

    While the shift in strategy helped, it didn¡¯t remove the advantage the demons had in pure stats. With their higher levels and equipment, they held the initiative to advance or retreat when necessary.

    And so, a protracted battle against the demons began.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57

    In one of the Elemental Nation¡¯s border zones, inside a lush overgrown forest with canopies so thick the sun couldn¡¯t reach the ground, Annallee hid behind a trunk, her face weary with exhaustion. The rest of her squad took up positions amongst the branches, keeping a lookout for any movement.

    During the brief respite, Annallee fiddled with her bracers. A week of skirmishes had left her equipment in terrible condition. She was especially annoyed by the demon¡¯s frequent use of corrosive liquid.

    On the upside, her team had managed to kill six demons thus far.

    The equipment they looted was far superior to their own - both in levels and grade.

    If not for that, they would¡¯ve had to fall back and resupply days ago.

    Amidst the sounds of wildlife, Annallee¡¯s captain spoke in a hushed tone, ¡°I¡¯ve got less than ten potions left. Another fight and I¡¯ll be out.¡±

    ¡°Same here,¡± someone answered.

    Annallee responded, ¡°I have three remaining.¡±

    The team tallied their potions and re-distributed them to make sure everyone was even. Afterward, the captain glanced around, ¡°What do you think? Should we head to the nearest supply station or continue?¡±

    ¡°I say we play it safe. No need to take any unnecessary risks,¡± Annallee voiced her opinion.

    ¡°Agreed,¡± another said.

    ¡°Very well,¡± the captain nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡±

    Like a well-oiled machine, the team traversed the overgrown forest with adept movements, each covering the other¡¯s blindspot. The demons could attack at a moment¡¯s notice, so they had to be on constant alert.

    Suddenly, the person in the lead came to a halt and raised their fist, signaling for the team to stay silent. Thinking that they encountered demons, the team held their breath with grim expressions.

    The person in the lead pointed forward, whispering, ¡°Look at that.¡±

    Annallee jumped over and squinted. ¡°A structure?¡±

    Up ahead was a square brick building covered in moss and vines, blending in with the rest of the forest. An untrained eye would¡¯ve missed it.

    ¡°Strange. Is it a demon den?¡± The captain spoke warily.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like it, not their style,¡± Annallee shared her doubt.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Their team had been in this zone for a week and it was the first time they encountered such a structure. Growing curious, the captain turned to the team¡¯s assassin, ¡°Yale, are you willing to check it out?¡±

    Typical of the Innate¡¯s military, the captain didn¡¯t abuse his authority and force their subordinate to take a risk. Instead, they asked for the other¡¯s opinion.

    ¡°No problem,¡± Yale answered, his body turning invisible.

    As Yale checked out the unknown structure, the team kept their guard up.

    A minute later, Yale appeared nearby, his expression bewildered.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The captain noticed the abnormality.

    Yale responded with a tone of confusion, ¡°It¡¯s a celestial grade dungeon.¡±

    A few members of the team were perplexed, unaware of what a dungeon was. However, Annallee, being Mariane¡¯s adopted daughter, and the captain, knew full well what a dungeon entailed.

    ¡°Did you say celestial? Are you sure?¡± The captain pressed anxiously.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Yale tilted his head, wondering why the captain was so emotional.

    Annallee hastily turned to the captain, saying, ¡°We need to report this immediately. A celestial grade dungeon has only appeared in the Grandsky Realm three times, and each time, it caused a massive war to break out.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. We can¡¯t stay here,¡± The captain nodded, taking out a stat boosting potion to drink.

    The team immediately left the area.

    As they traversed the jungle, Yale approached Annallee and asked, ¡°What¡¯s a dungeon?¡±

    Annallee thought briefly, then answered, ¡°They¡¯re places of great peril and opportunity. Once you enter, you need to complete a challenge. You¡¯ll be rewarded should you succeed.¡±

    ¡°What type of rewards?¡± Yale was astonished.

    Annallee lowered her voice. ¡°As far as I know, the last celestial grade dungeon that appeared gave out several transcendent grade items to the people who beat its challenge.¡±

    ¡°What!¡± Yale yelped in surprise. ¡°Then why did we leave? We should have given it a try.¡±

    Annallee shook her head, berating, ¡°Fool! How do you know you won¡¯t be surrounded by demons when you leave the dungeon?¡±

    Yale immediately got goosebumps.

    ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re reporting in, so we can get back up. If we can monopolize the dungeon before it disappears, our army''s power will shoot through the roof!¡± Annallee explained, her eyes glimmering with excitement.

    Soon after Annallee¡¯s squad left, a group of demons landed on the branches her team had just stood on. One of the demons sniffed the air. ¡°The scent¡¯s fresh. We¡¯re close.¡±

    Just as the team was about to give chase, a demon spotted the moss-covered brick building. ¡°Wait, what¡¯s that? There was nothing there yesterday.¡±

    The demons approached the building warily.

    When they got close enough, a notification appeared before each of them.

    (Celestial, Dungeon) Colosseum of Limits

    Remaining time: 377 hours.

    After a brief moment of shock, the demons whooped in celebration. ¡°A celestial grade dungeon!¡±

    Unlike Annallee¡¯s team who cared about the overall picture, these demons were innately selfish. They had no desire to report to their superiors. Intending to enter the dungeon, they stepped forward when a blue light simultaneously flashed in their pupils.

    Following the appearance of the light, their expressions shifted between greed and reverence. The weakest among them struggled for a moment before their greed subsided. They turned to look at their fellow demons, their hand hovering over the hilt of their weapon. It was only when the blue light completely covered the rest of their team¡¯s pupils did they relax.

    ¡°Pride needs to hear of this,¡± One of them spoke, the blue light in their eyes flickering.

    ¡°Indeed. Victor, go back. We¡¯ll stay here and guard the area.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± Victor replied, his figure dashing into the distance.

    The remaining demons promptly hid nearby, waiting.

    Their previous desire was nowhere to be seen.

    Even with the allure of the dungeon beckoning to them, they remained still, silently waiting for the arrival of their Master.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58

    Atop a cliff overlooking the overgrown forest was a well-fortified camp full of demons. Usually, when thousands of demons gathered together, there were numerous fights and verbal disagreements, yet here they behaved similarly to that of a well-disciplined army.

    At this moment, a group of demons with blue light in their eyes escorted five wounded demons toward the center of the camp. Whenever the wounded demons passed by a patrolling squad, they saw the blue light and grew increasingly horrified.

    They all knew what it signified, as well as what was about to happen to them.

    Subjugation.

    Regardless of their attempts to escape, the wounded demons inevitably arrived before an open tent, where a young female demon sat on a stool, her legs crossed, with a blood-red spear nestled between her arms. Sporting sleek black hair and an angular face, she possessed unimaginable beauty.

    Once known as Luminara, she was now Pride, one of the seven deadly sins.

    When the wounded demons spotted her, they gnashed their teeth, shouting, ¡°Pride, I curse you to a painful death!¡±

    No matter how much they screamed, Pride remained indifferent.

    She was used to it.

    Every generation of Pride sought to enslave the minds of those they subjugated, and as a result, they were widely hated. Many Prides didn¡¯t last longer than a year, hunted down by their kin. Knowing this, Luminara fled the Sin Dimension as soon as the System selected her as the next Pride.

    She had previously been the most talented demon amongst the younger generation, making her incredibly arrogant. Had she known it would lead to her isolation, she wouldn¡¯t have done some of the things she did.

    It took her a month to come to terms with her new status.

    Since then, she secretly subjugated the demons who spent their time in the wilderness. After a few years, she had conquered most of them, expanding her forces to over a hundred thousand strong.

    Speaking of which, it was a slow and tiresome process.

    To enslave the mind of another, she had to beat them in solo combat.

    While she thought of how much work she put in over the last year, the constant shouting from the wounded demons eventually got on her nerves.

    With a twirl of her spear, she stood up and took a stance. Pointing the tip of her weapon at the demons, she said, ¡°Come at me. If you win, you¡¯ll earn your freedom.¡±

    At her promise, the demons gained a glimmer of hope.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    They knew very well how Pride¡¯s skills worked ¨C it was common knowledge.

    Thinking they stood a chance, one of the wounded demons jumped to his feet.

    Pride shook her head. ¡°Not just one. All of you.¡±

    The demon who got up first was stunned. ¡°But¡­ isn¡¯t it supposed to be one on one?¡±

    ¡°Heh,¡± Pride smirked at his question. ¡°Only for me.¡±

    Although the demon felt humiliated, he rallied his companions, shouting, ¡°This brat is asking for it!¡±

    The other demons withdrew their weapons and swiftly surrounded Pride.

    They constantly rotated around her, occasionally feigning attacks to apply pressure.

    Pride remained composed, her speartip hanging low to the ground.

    Just then, all six demons lunged forward.

    At the same time, or perhaps a moment earlier, Pride took two steps to the left and thrust forward, her spear entering and leaving a demon¡¯s neck in the time it took to blink.

    WHOOSH!

    A crossbow bolt arrived at lightning speed, yet Pride deflected it with a wave of her spear, her figure arriving at her next target. This time, the demon successfully parried her thrust, thought before they could rejoice, two holes appeared in their chest.

    By now, the four demons left were aghast.

    In the time it took for them to close the distance, Pride had already incapacitated two of their companions. Knowing they couldn¡¯t hold back, they swung their weapons with unmatched ferocity, blocking off Pride¡¯s retreat.

    CLANG!

    Pride fought them head-on ¨C her attacks so swift her weapon blurred.

    Even though they numbered more, the demons gained no advantage. Pride¡¯s spear pushed them back repeatedly, either through masterful spearplay or pure force. In moments, blood covered the four demons from head to toe.

    With one mighty cleave, Pride knocked the demons to the ground.

    As they lay there, she rested her spear upon her shoulder and shouted, ¡°Do you submit!?¡±

    ¡°In your dreams!¡± One of the demons struggled to his feet. ¡°I¡¯ll never-¡±

    The demon¡¯s voice cut off as his head rolled along the ground, a single swipe from Pride severing his life.

    The remaining demons were shocked.

    Unwilling to die, they pleaded, ¡°I submit!¡±

    At that moment, blue light appeared within their pupils, signifying that they had become Pride¡¯s newest followers. At the same time, Pride felt a small increase in her stats. She gained tangible benefits with every subjugation.

    ¡°Go and recover from your injuries,¡± Pride dismissed them with a wave of her hand and sat back down on the stool, waiting for another round of demons to arrive. At the start, she had to personally go find demons to subjugate. Now, however, she had minions to do it for her.

    It wouldn¡¯t be much longer until she could return to the Sin Dimension with her head held high. With an army backing her up, she need not fear anyone. As for whether Wrath, Gluttony, and Greed would attack her, that was impossible. The Sin Dimension forbade Sins from killing one another.

    Pride contemplated her plans for the future when a commotion in the distance caught her attention. A demon she recognized as Victor rushed up and knelt on one knee, his head lowered as he reported, ¡°Master, we found a newly spawned celestial grade dungeon in the forest below.¡±

    Pride was visibly surprised by the news. ¡°How far?¡±

    ¡°An hour away,¡± Victor answered respectfully.

    ¡°Good!¡± Pride stood to her feet and raised her head to the sky, laughing boisterously.

    After a moment, she waved her hand, shouting, ¡°Gather the troops!¡±

    Utilizing one of her unique skills, all the subjects under her command heard her order, no matter the distance. In ten minutes, fifty thousand demons had returned to the base, lined up in rows. The rest were still on their way.

    Seeing all her minions, Pride felt a sense of accomplishment.

    Who else could muster such a large force of completely loyal subordinates?

    Only her!

    Flying into the air to overlook her army, Pride commanded, ¡°We march!¡±

    As they set off, Pride decided she wouldn¡¯t mind sacrificing all her minions to take control of the dungeon.

    After all, the appearance of a celestial grade dungeon gave Pride the chance to skyrocket in power, all for one reason: she could order her subjects to give her the rewards they acquired from the dungeon, hoarding it all to herself.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59

    In the overgrown forest, inside a temporary camp, Ska¡¯dur stood next to a table full of dazzling celestial grade equipment. Over the past week, he had slain dozens of demons, accruing multiple sets of celestial grade items. Right now, he was selecting which pieces suited him the best.

    As he deliberated, the person guarding his tent entered, bringing with him Annallee¡¯s team. They faced Ska¡¯dur and saluted, and when Ska¡¯dur nodded, Annallee¡¯s captain reported, ¡°Sir, we discovered a celestial grade dungeon about fifty miles eastbound.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Ska¡¯dur took a moment to recall what a dungeon was. When he did, he rubbed his forehead in annoyance. ¡°How troublesome.¡±

    Unsure of what to do, he shouted, ¡°Alyssia, get over here!¡±

    Seconds after his shout, Major General Alyssia entered the tent. Markus had assigned her to aide Ska¡¯dur during the expedition, knowing the latter wasn¡¯t leadership material. Alyssia glanced over at Annallee¡¯s team before looking at Ska¡¯dur. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°A celestial grade dungeon popped up not far from here. How should we proceed?¡± Ska¡¯dur asked, ridding himself of all responsibility.

    Alyssia was visibly surprised by the news.

    Looking at Annallee¡¯s captain, she inquired, ¡°Did you see how much longer it¡¯ll last?¡±

    ¡°377 hours,¡± the captain answered firmly.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Alyssia fell silent.

    After a brief period, Alyssia said, ¡°Okay, I understand.¡±

    ¡°So? Are we gonna fight for it?¡± Ska¡¯dur¡¯s face lit up with expectation.

    Alyssia nodded, then turned to her assistant. ¡°Pass down an order to recall everyone hunting demons. At the same time, send a messenger to Torg, informing him of the situation.¡±

    Ska¡¯dur was startled. ¡°Why do we have to do that?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re sandwiched between the Elemental Nation and a pack of ruthless demons,¡± Alyssia explained calmly. ¡°We can¡¯t afford to offend Torg at this juncture. If we can get reinforcements, all the better.¡±

    A few hours later, Ska¡¯dur stood on a raised platform with his arms crossed, flanked by Major General Alyssia. Below him was an army standing at attention, numbering under one million. As they waited for the remaining teams to return, one of Alyssia¡¯s aides approached and whispered into her ear before leaving.

    ¡°Any word?¡± Ska¡¯dur asked without turning his head.

    Alyssia didn¡¯t show any expression as she explained, ¡°Torg¡¯s forces are engaged with the demons as we speak. They can¡¯t send any assistance.¡±

    ¡°I wonder who¡¯ll win?¡± Ska¡¯dur wondered aloud.

    Alyssia looked over the troops below. ¡°It¡¯s better for us the longer their war draws out.¡±

    ¡°True,¡± Ska¡¯dur smiled, waiting for the day he could face Torg once again.

    Alyssia took a moment to gather her thoughts before saying, ¡°I still find it strange that the demons launched such a coordinated assault when they advanced into the Elemental Nation''s inner zones. According to the Elemental¡¯s military, they¡¯re supposed to be unaffiliated parties, similar to our adventurer teams.¡±

    ¡°You think someone united them?¡± Ska¡¯dur¡¯s smile disappeared.

    Alyssia sighed. ¡°It¡¯s highly possible. I expect a frontal clash with whoever they are at the dungeon¡¯s location.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a fat piece of meat, and everyone wants a bite,¡± Ska¡¯dur remarked.

    A few minutes later, all the soldiers were accounted for. While many of them were confused as to what was happening, they didn¡¯t gossip in hushed tones, instead remaining silent.

    At that moment, Major General Alyssia stepped forward, her voice far-reaching, ¡°A highly valuable strategic resource has appeared near our location: a dungeon. To keep it short, know that it grants bountiful rewards to those who enter and complete its challenges. I¡¯m talking celestial grade equipment and skills. We expect heavy resistance from the demons, as they too want to control the dungeon. Prepare yourselves. We move out in two hours. Dismissed.¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    With that said, Alyssia turned and jumped off the platform, leaving behind the million troops who immediately started discussing amongst themselves. Soon, word spread about what exactly a dungeon was and what it entailed, making everyone full of anticipation. Knowing that they were about to engage the demons head-on, they did their best to prepare themselves.

    After two hours passed, fifty Silverswift Skyships soared into the sky, surrounded by hundreds of thousands of troops riding on their mounts.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the army to near the dungeon¡¯s location, whereupon they slowed their pace and kept an eye out for any demons. However, the forest¡¯s trees towered hundreds of feet high, with their canopies providing excellent cover. They couldn¡¯t see anything.

    Major General Alyssia stood on the bow of a Silverswift Skyship.

    Looking down, she shouted, ¡°Start the bombardment!¡±

    At her command, the Mana Gathering arrays inside the Silverswift Skyships went into overdrive, producing a low hum. Through hidden pipes, mana poured into the numerous cannons and guns installed on the sides of the Skyship.

    After a brief delay, the sky practically glowed with cerulean light as tens of thousands of projectiles rained down from the heavens, unleashing complete devastation upon the forest.

    Trunks and branches shattered into bits.

    Dust and fire rose from below, clouding the Innate army¡¯s vision, yet they didn¡¯t stop firing. Piercing Mana Bolts, Explosive Fire Bombs, Shrapnel Cannisters ¨C the Silverswift Skyships released everything they had for an entire minute until their mana reserves depleted.

    A few teams from the Innate¡¯s army used wind-attribute skills to clear the smoke, revealing a circular clearing around the dungeon. The previously tall trees were nowhere to be found. In addition, thousands upon thousands of sparkling items littered the ground. The bombardment had killed countless demons hidden near the dungeon.

    At that moment, Pride flew out of the forest canopy, her expression ashen as she looked down upon the items that once belonged to her subordinates.

    Overwhelmed with rage, she pointed her spear toward the fleet of Skyships and screamed, ¡°Attack!¡±

    Following her shout, forty-some thousand demons left their hiding spots and flew into the sky. They were all that remained of Pride¡¯s forces, having been lucky enough to be far enough away from the Silverswift Skyship¡¯s bombardment. Even with half of their companions slain, they showed no fear, their loyalty to Pride unwavering as they swarmed the Innate¡¯s army from all directions.

    In response to their advance, Major General Alyssia sent out several commands, ¡°Skyships, retreat to the rear. All troops, get into position. Form a line!¡±

    Like a well-oiled machine, the hundreds of thousands of soldiers moved into position. The tanks took the front, with the long-ranged attackers supporting them from the back. Mana Barriers popped up by the hundreds to form an impenetrable wall just as the demons arrived.

    Everyone performed perfectly, but the demon''s attack power was far beyond what the Innate¡¯s army could handle. The Mana Barriers shattered after a few clashes, forcing the defensive experts to face the demons head-on.

    At the same time, Major General Alyssia hovered at the rear, her eyes like a hawk as she observed the flow of the battle. Under her continuous orders, the tanks retreated, drawing the demons in before two divisions flanked their sides. Now surrounded, the demons suffered severe causalities.

    Major General Alyssia sighed in relief - such a simple tactic succeeding proved the demons had no strategy in mind. Whoever united them lacked the ability to lead.

    Just then, Alyssia felt a sense of fatal danger envelop her as a sharp whistle came from her side. Retreating hastily, she turned and saw the tip of a spear enlarging before her eyes. Holding the spear was an enraged Pride, her face contorted by anger.

    ¡°Die!¡± Pride spat.

    At the last second, a clawed hand appeared and knocked the spear aside, causing it to miss Alyssia¡¯s head by an inch. Ska¡¯dur had arrived in the nick of time. Taking on the form of a scaled leopard, Ska¡¯dur growled as he twisted his body, sending a kick toward Pride¡¯s stomach.

    Missing the kill on the enemy commander further enraged Pride, and though her figure was far smaller than Ska¡¯dur¡¯s, she halted his attack by simply gripping his ankle with one hand. Alarmed by her strength, Ska¡¯dur spun around, unleashing a roundhouse kick to Pride¡¯s head with his other leg.

    BANG!

    Pride¡¯s head tilted to the side from the blow as a trickle of blood ran down her cheek, yet her grip on Ska¡¯dur¡¯s ankle remained firm. A burst of laughter escaped from Pride¡¯s mouth.

    Without delay, she thrust her spear at Ska¡¯dur, skewering him through the chest.

    Coughed out a mouthful of blood, he gripped the spear shaft with both hands to prevent Pride from retracting it.

    Morphing his chest into slime, Ska¡¯dur took on the attributes of a different monster and pushed the spear out of his body. From flesh to slime to back to flesh, it all took less than a second.

    Still holding onto the spear, Ska¡¯dur tried tugging it out of Pride¡¯s hands to no avail. Her grip remained firm as she screamed, ¡°Let go!¡±

    Ska¡¯dur promptly changed tactics.

    Wrapping his legs around her head, he let go of the spear and coiled himself around her body, strangling her like a python. Pride started panicking now that she could no longer use her spear, the thing she was most skilled at.

    As Ska¡¯dur tried to squeeze Pride to death, her higher strength and endurance allowed her to hold on. When she realized Ska¡¯dur¡¯s stats were much lower than hers, she finally calmed down and started retaliating by repeatedly striking Ska¡¯dur¡¯s head with her elbow.

    ¡°Get! Off! Me!¡± Pride shouted, each blow dazing Ska¡¯dur.

    Finally, a lapse in consciousness gave Pride the opportunity to break free.

    In the moment Ska¡¯dur¡¯s hold weakened, Pride bent over and tossed him away.

    She was just about to give chase when a barrage of attacks and spells assailed her from all directions. With a spear in hand, she deflected what she could, but with so many attacks, some got past her defense and struck true.

    Pride glanced around and saw hundreds of humans, elves, and dwarves swarming her position. Past them was her army, on the verge of annihilation. The loss of her subjugated subordinates made her stats plummet.

    Knowing what her fate would be if she stayed, she decisively fled into the forest below.

    Upon entering, she was like a fish entering the water and quickly disappeared within.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60

    The Innate¡¯s government finally allowed civilians to enter the Grandsky Realm. After all, now that the Elemental Nation knew of Innate Dimension¡¯s existence, there was no point in restricting their movements any longer. As a result, New Hope was unprecedentedly packed with people, and plans to build more cities in Serenity Canyon were underway.

    Meanwhile, inside Frisk¡¯s personal time-accelerated Pocket Dimension, Keith¡¯s clone was hard at work. Sitting down at a desk, Keith leaned over a microscope, scrutinizing the arrays on the sword conjured from Arsenal of the Desert.

    Like now, he had spent the past week passionately pursuing his goal of attaining level 1,000 in the Arsenal of the Desert skill by analyzing the arrays layered on its surface.

    Converted to accelerated time, he had spent over two months engrossed in his research.

    Keith¡¯s progress was significant.

    Currently, his Arsenal of the Desert skill sat at level 824, making it his highest leveled skill by far.

    Based on Keith¡¯s understanding, the skill used ordinary sand formed by earth element mana. The sand wasn¡¯t the important part. The arrays were. From what Keith could tell, the arrays compressed the sand to the extreme before reinforcing it via a series of layered arrays he was still trying to decipher.

    Keith did not doubt that once he unraveled the mystery of the layered arrays, he¡¯d have a complete understanding of the skill. A complete understanding meant it¡¯d be level 1,000. He wasn¡¯t far off from reaching that point. Maybe another week or two.

    For his research on Arsenal of the Desert, Keith refrained from asking Frisk for help.

    He needed to do this on his own.

    Frisk might be able to provide the answer, but Keith wouldn¡¯t understand how he arrived there. The process of problem-solving was just as crucial as the result, perhaps even more so.

    For example, during his research on Arsenal of the Desert, Keith learned several new methods on how arrays interacted. The newfound knowledge increased his array crafting skill by a significant margin. It was now level 602.

    At this point, Keith was no longer a novice to the craft.

    He could be said to have reached the middle tier of array artisans.

    In retrospect, it was a good thing Arsenal of the Desert¡¯s conjured weapons had arrays on their surface. As an array artisan himself, Keith could reach level 1,000 in the skill far easier compared to a skill that didn¡¯t have arrays so blatantly displayed. It made Keith wonder if he should find similar skills.

    But that could wait.

    He first needed to level Arsenal of the Desert to 1,000.

    And so, ten days passed inside the time-accelerated Pocket Dimension.

    Keith¡¯s clone, besides eating and sleeping, spent all that time tucked away in the corner of the Pocket Dimension Frisk allocated to him.

    His research had reached a bottleneck.

    Even though Keith had learned all the arrays, no matter how many times he attempted to layer them, they collapsed once there were too many runes so close to each other. This was a common problem when using layered arrays ¨C too short a distance and they destabilized.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    At Keith¡¯s current skill level, although he could form two-layered arrays with some difficulty, Arsenal of the Desert utilized three layers and involved over a hundred arrays. The requirements for his control were high.

    Pacing back and forth, Keith fell into thought, and after several minutes of contemplation, he decided to change his approach. Instead of forming the arrays one by one, he¡¯d do it layer by layer.

    Standing up, Keith raised his hand, divided his mind, and utilized his Mana Manipulation skill to barely form a layer in one go. While forming the next one, Keith delegated one of his minds to keep the first layer intact.

    The second one.

    The third one.

    Beads of sweat rolled down Keith¡¯s face as he formed all three layers.

    Now for the final part.

    Furrowing his brow, Keith stacked the layers one by one, acting swiftly before they destabilized. With a visible tremble, the layers locked into place. Earth element mana congregated within, forming a longsword made of sand. The three-layered array then attached itself to the weapon.

    Success!

    Without using the Arsenal of the Desert skill, Keith had replicated the skill through the use of arrays. The only way he could do that was by completely understanding it.

    At that moment, notifications piled up one after another.

    Congratulations! Your Arsenal of the Desert skill leveled up to 1,000.

    Congratulations! You unlocked the Skill Master title.

    Congratulations, you leveled a skill to 1,000!

    Reach level 1,000 in three more skills to attain additional benefits.

    Congratulations! By reaching level 1,000 in a skill, the System has blessed your innate gift, causing it to evolve.

    (Title) Skill Master

    Description: The skill you reached level 1,000 in now has a 50% reduction in mana cost, cooldown, and cast time. If applicable, it also deals 50% more damage.

    Back at the Blockade where Keith¡¯s main body was, it was currently night, and he was deep in sleep. Suddenly, the surrounding mana grew agitated and poured into his body, jolting him awake. Briefly dazed, he was then delighted by the memories coming in from his clone.

    ¡°I did it!¡± He exclaimed in joy.

    Closing his eyes, Keith sensed millions upon millions of units of mana rushing into his brain, where it disappeared to who knows where. Minutes went by, yet the torrent of mana was unending. Keith started to grow uneasy.

    Just then, it ended, and a notification appeared.

    Congratulations! Your innate gift has evolved.

    All shop functions are 50% cheaper to purchase!

    Leveling a skill to 1,000 had awarded Keith numerous benefits, making him so excited he jumped out of bed and punched the air, overwhelmed by emotion. After dancing a little jig, stood still, relishing his achievement.

    A moment later, Keith¡¯s clone sent over a message, telling him to try something.

    Keith gasped in alarm.

    Without delay, he formed a sand longsword through arrays and then activated Quickdraw. Following a flash of light, the arrays vanished, reappearing inside Quickdraw¡¯s unique space in his mind.

    ¡°No way,¡± Keith sucked in a breath from a sudden realization.

    Normally, Arsenal of the Desert had a hard limit on how many weapons he could conjure. Now that he had replicated Arsenal of the Desert through arrays, he could use Quickdraw to bypass that limit. Although Quickdraw itself had a limit, he could effectively double or triple the amount the number of conjured weapons.

    Keith tested it right away.

    Two swords hovered before him.

    One came from Quickdraw and the other from Arsenal of the Desert, appearing completely identical. Holding one in each hand, Keith clashed them together and was stunned when one broke.

    Thinking briefly, Keith soon understood why.

    The Skill Master title enhanced the weapons from Arsenal of the Desert but not from Quickdraw, resulting in one being stronger than the other. While somewhat disappointing, Keith was still happy he could summon more weapons. It was the skill he relied on the most recently.

    No matter what, Keith was too excited to go back to sleep, so he ended up staying up the whole night browsing the magic network, searching for another skill to level to 1,000. He wanted one that showed the arrays it used.

    Speaking of which, what stopped him from using Quickdraw on a teleportation array?

    It usually took fifteen to twenty minutes to draw a teleportation array with array crafting, making it unfeasible to use in live combat.

    Not with Quickdraw.

    With Quickdraw, it became instant.

    The only problem lay in the fact that a teleportation array drew mana from connected mana gathering arrays. However, with Keith¡¯s current expertise in array crafting, he could easily modify the teleportation array to have it accept his mana instead.

    That way, should Keith encounter fatal danger in battle, he could simply create a teleportation array to teleport hundreds of miles away in an instant.

    I¡¯m a genius, Keith thought with a smile.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61

    The next morning, Keith took his position above the Blockade, full of anticipation for the battle to come. With the skill master title buffing Arsenal of the Desert, it now dealt 50% more damage and consumed 50% less mana.

    Before, Keith ranked 54<sup>th</sup> on the Blockade Event¡¯s leaderboards. At that rank, everyone ahead of him was a powerhouse ¨C the strongest of the Innate Nation. It was exceedingly difficult to surpass them.

    Keith wondered where he would place after today¡¯s defense now that he had a level 1,000 skill. Top 40? Top 30? It was hard to say.

    Soon, the monster horde appeared on the horizon.

    Keith prepared for battle.

    Thanks to the War Array buffing his intelligence by ten times, he summoned 200 Arsensal of the Desert weapons. He usually never conjured that amount due to losing control over their movements. With low control, the weapons wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid a level 800+ monster¡¯s attacks. A single blow would destroy them.

    Now, however, he had no qualms.

    Under the empowerment of Keith¡¯s Mana Body, Arsenal of the Desert performed as a celestial grade skill, and with the addition of the Skill Master title, the conjured weapons would easily breach a level 800+ monster''s defenses.

    And so, Keith hovered in the air, surrounded by 200 floating weapons radiating golden light. There were longswords, spears, halberds, shortswords, and great axes. It was a magnificent sight.

    When the monster horde arrived, Keith immediately locked onto a level 830 divine grade Scorched Serpent.

    Pointing forward, the Arsenal of the Desert weapons shot off, leaving black streaks in their wake. They were so sharp they cut through space, proving that their lethality had skyrocketed.

    The Scorched Serpent, seeing the horde of weapons coming its way, sensed a deadly threat. Hissing, it coiled around itself, its scales glowing dark red.

    Even though it entered its strongest defensive state, it was useless.

    The weapons drilled through its tough scales like worms and entered its body, dealing catastrophic damage before shooting out the other side. Now riddled with holes, the Scorched Serpent dissipated into motes of light, leaving behind loot.

    Miraculously, Keith killed a level 830 divine grade monster in one move.

    Filled with excitement, Keith directed his weapons toward a particularly large group of monsters. They swooped down, cleaving through the beasts like a knife through butter. Dozens of monsters dropped to the ground.

    The Arsenal of the Desert¡¯s weapons left death in their wake, slaying countless monsters. None could defend against their lethality.

    From time to time, Keith resummoned the weapons that broke. That was the only downside of Arsenal of the Desert. The weapons were incredibly fragile. Thankfully, the Skill Master title¡¯s reduced mana cost helped alleviate that weakness.Stolen story; please report.

    It didn¡¯t take long for Keith to clear the area of high level monsters.

    Not only had he accomplished his mission faster than before, but he spent far less mana and stamina to do it. Thinking briefly, Keith retreated to the bottom of the Blockade, where a large brawl between close-combat fighters and monsters was underway. He activated Mythril Automaton, grabbed a longsword hovering next to him, and plunged into a group of Undead Warriors.

    After a week of tutoring with borrowed talent, his Sword Mastery skill had reached level 560. Unfortunately, the closer Keith got to his tutor¡¯s skill level, the less effective his tutor was at training him. Sparring no longer gave tangible gains. To progress, Keith needed to immerse himself in live combat, where his opponent wanted to end his life.

    If the War Array empowered Keith, the Undead Warriors would be no match for him, so he turned it off, relying solely on his own power to face them.

    The Undead Warriors outnumbered Keith ten-to-one.

    Wielding massive greatswords, they used sweeping attacks that Keith tried to parry only to get knocked back, his sword nearly flying from his hand. After gauging their strength stat, Keith relied on footwork to avoid their blows.

    Their wide attacks opened up their guard, which Keith took advantage of to whittle them down. Stepping in and out, the wind brushed against his face as he narrowly avoided their greatswords to slash and poke.

    Just then, the Undead Warriors started working together, no longer attacking separately. They locked down the surrounding space, giving Keith little room to dodge.

    As the pressure rose, Keith suddenly found three greatswords looming over his head.

    Panicking, he avoided one by side-stepping and attempted to parry the second, intending to take the third with his body, when a nearby explosion caused his swing to deviate. It clashed against the side of the greatsword, sending it flying into the third greatsword, knocking it aside.

    For a moment, Keith was stunned as enlightenment dawned on him.

    So that¡¯s a thing, Keith thought delightedly.

    No longer wanting to kill the Undead Warriors, Keith instead used them as sparring partners. The random deflection from earlier showed the path forward for Keith to progress.

    However, he quickly learned that it wasn¡¯t so easy.

    Sometimes, he messed up and took a hit.

    If not for the Mythril Automatons redirecting the majority of the damage, Keith wouldn¡¯t take such risks. As time went on, Keith gradually came to understand how to deflect his opponent¡¯s attacks. Timing was key, as well as something else: force.

    For years, Keith had been learning how to control his body to make the best use of his ever-growing stats. He had spent countless hours training in muscle utilization, force exertion, breathing techniques, and more.

    And yet, by deflecting his enemy''s weapon into another, it opened up a whole new world for Keith to explore. He discovered combat wasn¡¯t just about controlling yourself. It also included your opponent.

    In the past, many of Keith¡¯s teachers said to pay attention to the movements of your enemies. He thought he had understood what they meant.

    Now, Keith realized that he hadn¡¯t.

    Shifting his perspective, he watched the Undead Warrior at his side swinging its greatsword at him. He observed the sound of the wind, the acceleration of its weapon, and its stance. All of it informed Keith the Undead Warrior had used 70% of its strength in that attack.

    By knowing exactly how much power it used, Keith no longer needed to overexert himself. He could respond with the precise amount of strength needed to parry the blow.

    In addition, Keith instinctually sensed that should he parry at the tip of its greatsword, he¡¯d get the greatest result.

    So he did.

    And the outcome was wonderous.

    Like magic, Keith¡¯s sword attached to the greatsword, guiding it off its intended trajectory. After deflecting it, Keith stabbed the Undead Warrior in the chest before retreating to avoid the attack of another Undead Warrior.

    From that moment on, Keith was in total control of the fight.

    Sometimes, just as an Undead Warrior was about to swing, Keith thrust at its wrist, causing all its gathered force to disperse. Other times, he deflected the monsters'' weapons into each other.

    All the while, his Sword Mastery skill gained one level after another.

    561¡­

    570¡­

    583¡­

    623¡­

    651¡­

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62

    Keith was so immersed in the battle two hours went by in a flash.

    It was only when the last Undead Warrior collapsed that he realized today¡¯s Blockade defense was basically over. Invigorated by his Sword Mastery progress, Keith pulled up the leaderboards and saw his rank at 41<sup>st</sup> place.

    Not bad, Keith grinned, knowing that he had spent a lot of time training instead of killing monsters. Truthfully, Keith didn¡¯t want to abuse the power granted to him by the War Array to go on a killing spree. He wanted to leave monsters to the others so they could level up.

    If he didn¡¯t hold himself back, he guessed he¡¯d easily rank within the top 20.

    Maybe even the top 10.

    Keith returned home to take a shower, thinking about how potent Arsenal of the Desert became once it reached level 1,000. It was simply a qualitative change. With that in mind, he needed to choose a second skill to begin researching.

    There were two paths he could take.

    Keith could study another divine grade skill or a low grade skill like Fireball.

    The reason he even considered studying Fireball was simply due to the notification he received when first leveling Arsenal of the Desert to level 1,000.

    Congratulations, you leveled a skill to 1,000!

    Reach level 1,000 in three more skills to attain additional benefits.

    Based on Keith¡¯s gut instinct, the stated additional benefit probably meant an evolution opportunity for his innate gift. The first evolution reduced the cost of the functions in the Function shop. He wanted to find out what benefits the second evolution brought.

    Of course, it didn¡¯t have to be Fireball.

    Keith was also considering Mana Barrier.

    Even though it was a rare grade skill, it boasted tremendous flexibility in its usage, such that Yara¡¯s self-developed Dragon Regalia mode raised Mana Barrier¡¯s defensive capabilities to the mythic grade. With more research, it might be possible to push it higher.

    Additionally, unlike melee fighters, there weren¡¯t many defensive abilities available for mages. For example, people above level 500 still relied on the Mana Barrier skill to protect themselves.

    After showering, Keith drank some elixirs and contemplated what skill to pick, going through the pros and cons of each. An hour later, he finally decided on Mana Barrier. It still had a lot of potential, and Keith thought it would be fun to see how far he could push it. He sent a mental message to his clone, informing him of his decision.

    Once all was said and done, Keith prepared to leave for his next sparring session when a notification came from his magic tablet. Picking it up, he saw it was a message from the military, with the first two words being ¡®Highly Confidential¡¯.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    Intrigued, Keith read on.

    According to the message, which was sent to specific individuals, the military had discovered a celestial grade dungeon. Upon explaining what a dungeon was, they went on to say that to not affect the Blockade¡¯s defense, only a limited number of people could head to the dungeon at a time. Following that, there was a list of hundreds of people with different dates.

    Scrolling down, Keith soon found his name.

    Should he accept, he could leave for the dungeon in two days, which meant he was one of the earliest to go.

    Keith was unsure of how dangerous a dungeon was.

    Thinking briefly, he sent a message to both Yara and Markus, asking for their opinion.

    Yara replied first, simply telling him not to go.

    Markus answered soon after, saying that while risky, it was manageable. The dungeon¡¯s challenges could be completed one at a time. By gauging the difficulty of the first challenge, you could decide whether to continue or leave. He warned Keith to keep in mind where his limit lay.

    Keith was relieved by his father¡¯s response.

    If he could choose to leave after every challenge, then he didn¡¯t have much to worry about. Keith was interested in delving into a dungeon. As an adventurer at heart, he wanted to explore what the Grandsky Realm had to offer.

    Two days went by.

    During that time, the contract enhancing Keith¡¯s sword talent expired. Other than that, nothing noteworthy happened.

    After eating breakfast, Keith went to the teleportation array hub, where a military liaison responsible for leading Keith to the dungeon approached. ¡°Mr. Walker, you¡¯re early. We still need to wait for the others.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± Keith replied, then stood off to the side.

    The rest of the individuals heading to the dungeon arrived over the next ten minutes.

    There were four in total, excluding Keith. Each was like him ¨C War Array holders defending the Blockade. Keith greeted them with a nod. Everyone there recognized each other, for they all ranked within the top 100 on the leaderboard.

    One of them, an elderly dwarf, approached Keith, asking, ¡°Say, as the High Commander¡¯s son, you wouldn¡¯t happen to have any inside information, would you?¡±

    The others perked up their ears.

    ¡°Nothing that wasn¡¯t in the report,¡± Keith answered with a shake of his head.

    The military liaison frowned at the dwarf, berating, ¡°The High Commander wouldn¡¯t endanger your lives by withholding any pertinent information.¡±

    ¡°My bad, my bad,¡± the dwarf chuckled awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯m just anxious, that¡¯s all.¡±

    Seeing that the dwarf meant no harm, the military liaison relaxed. ¡°Fine. Since everyone¡¯s here, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Upon leading the group to a specific teleportation array, the military liaison activated the array and they soon vanished with a flash. After making two more teleports at different hubs, they appeared within a recently constructed building. Keith could tell by the smell.

    ¡°We¡¯re now on the border of the Elemental Nation¡¯s territory. Follow me,¡± the military liaison walked ahead as he explained.

    Once out of the small teleportation hub, Keith found himself inside a military fortress, unaware that a massive battle had occurred here just days earlier. After the Innate¡¯s victory, they secured the dungeon by building fortifications around it, equipping the base with everything they needed to defend it.

    In less than a minute, Keith¡¯s group arrived before the dungeon, surprised by its lackluster appearance.

    ¡°Is that it?¡± The elderly dwarf exclaimed, having expected something more intimidating.

    ¡°Yes.¡± The military liaison turned to face the party. ¡°This is the dungeon, named the Colosseum of Limits. All rewards you obtain within belong to you. We simply ask for a detailed report once you leave. Are there any questions?¡±

    Keith was the first to speak. ¡°Is it true that you can obtain transcendent grade items?¡±

    ¡°Historically, yes,¡± the liaison answered firmly.

    The elderly dwarf rubbed his beard in excitement. ¡°What about the High Commander and Sir Ska¡¯dur? Have they gone in?¡±

    ¡°Affirmative,¡± the liaison responded.

    ¡°What did they acquire?¡± the dwarf grew agitated.

    The liaison spoke cooly, ¡°That¡¯s classified.¡±

    The dwarf turned to Keith, who shook his head with a wry smile, ¡°Don¡¯t ask me. I didn¡¯t even know they entered.¡±

    The liason looked over the group. ¡°If that¡¯s all, then you may enter. Good luck.¡±

    Keith watched as the others in his party entered the dungeon one after another.

    Taking a deep breath, he approached the entrance to the moss-covered structure and started walking down the steps into the darkness.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63

    After descending the stairs, Keith entered a long corridor dimly lit with braziers attached to the walls. There was no sign of the others. The System had separated them into a dungeon unique to them, meaning Keith was alone.

    Mustering his courage, Keith walked down the corridor, remaining wary of sudden ambushes. Sometime later, he spotted an opening in the distance. Emerging from the corridor, Keith¡¯s vision widened as he stepped foot onto the arena of a colosseum.

    Looking around, he saw that though it was currently night, moonlight graced the entire colosseum, providing enough light to see that the thousands of seats in the stands were empty.

    Just then, a notification screen popped up in front of Keith, startling him.

    Welcome to the Colosseum of Limits.

    Here, you will undergo consecutive challenges.

    The challenges are uniquely tailored to your statistics (age, stats, level, equipment, etc).

    After each challenge, you will have one hour of rest time.

    During that period, you can choose to take your rewards and leave, or continue.

    The first challenge will begin in 60 seconds.

    Challenge 1: Evasion.

    Description: Dodge the projectiles.

    Note 1: There are three types of projectiles: slow (green), medium (yellow), and fast (red).

    Note 2: All types of projectiles cannot be blocked.

    Note 3: Once the challenge begins, no movement-type skills can be used.

    Keith quickly read through the message, and seeing he had only a minute to prepare, immediately began buffing himself with his usual skills. After that, he glanced around the arena, his heart racing with anticipation. As the timer counted down, he made a mental note that he couldn¡¯t use Blink or Void Shadowstep to evade the arrows.

    3¡­

    2¡­

    1¡­

    Right as the counter disappeared, different colored arrays flashed into existence all over the arena. Some were green, others yellow, and a few red. Without warning, arrows shot out from the arrays, each moving at different speeds based on their color.

    Keith expanded his senses, relying on sight and hearing to capture the arrow¡¯s movements. The red arrows arrived first, followed by the yellow and green. Keith stepped to the side, ducked, and twisted, avoiding everything that came his way.

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    As time went on, more and more arrays popped up, increasing the number of arrows fired at Keith.

    One minute¡­

    Two minutes¡­

    Three minutes¡­

    Ten minutes had passed, yet the arrows showed no signs of stopping.

    Keith had just dodged another wave of arrows when he felt a sudden weakness.

    Oh no, my buffs wore out! Keith thought, shocked by the change.

    Almost immediately, a few arrows pierced into his limbs, wounding him.

    The next volley of arrows gave Keith no chance to rebuff himself, and he felt the presence of death. At that moment, time slowed to a crawl as adrenaline gushed through his brain, heightening his thinking speed.

    Memories flashed through his mind as he recalled his last near-death encounter.

    Back then, when Entangling Roots had wrapped him in a cocoon, Keith¡¯s mana sense allowed him to see the world beyond. Like a drowning person, Keith latched onto that memory, analyzing it.

    Without warning, Keith closed his eyes, shutting off his vision.

    His consciousness expanded, connecting to the mana around him.

    Through them, the whole colosseum reflected itself in Keith¡¯s mind, including all the arrows and their trajectories. The arrows boring down on him had a particularly unique signature, making them easy to sense.

    Most importantly, due to having the surroundings in his mind, Keith could view the arrows from any angle. He no longer had a blind spot. In fact, he saw places where he could stand safely.

    Walking forward and to the left, Keith avoided a dozen arrows.

    Back, right, left, forward.

    Keith appeared as if he was taking a casual stroll through the park.

    None of the arrows could touch him.

    If someone happened to see this scene, they¡¯d be astonished by the ease and grace of Keith¡¯s movements. He was like a tiny ship in the eye of a storm. All around him lay deadly threats, yet he remained safe and sound.

    Finally, the arrays disappeared at the twenty-minute mark.

    Even though the challenge ended, Keith stood still, his eyes closed as he familiarized himself with his mana vision. After nearly dying to the demon squad in the past, he had tried entering this mode to no avail. Now that it appeared again, he wouldn¡¯t let this opportunity go to waste.

    Half an hour went by.

    With no danger, Keith relaxed, and as a result, lost his mana vision.

    However, a few minutes later, he adjusted his state of mind and reactivated it.

    Over the next ten minutes, he continuously turned it on and off, locking onto the key that made it work ¨C his consciousness. It was like trying to move a new muscle. At the start, it was hard, but once you got it to twitch, everything afterward became easier.

    Eventually, Keith opened his eyes to see several blinking notifications.

    Congratulations! You¡¯ve unlocked a sub-skill of Mana Manipulation: Mana Vision.

    (Universal, Sub-skill) Mana Vision

    Description: Connect your consciousness with the surrounding mana to see what they see. Drains mental stamina during use.

    Note 1: The range of mana vision depends on the strength of your consciousness.

    Congratulations! You¡¯ve taken your next step on the Path of Mana! Title upgraded!

    [Path of Mana: Novice]

    Description: You¡¯ve taken multiple steps on the endless path of mana. Reduces the mana cost of all skills by 10%.

    Keith clenched his fists in excitement as a wide smile spread across his face.

    The appearance of the Mana Vision sub-skill signified to Keith that the System had given its seal of approval. Mana Vision was now under his control and not something he had to wait until nearly dying to activate.

    The last notification revealed Keith¡¯s score for the evasion challenge.

    Congratulations! You¡¯ve passed the first challenge.

    Reward: Celestial grade movement skill.

    Do you want to attempt the next challenge or take your reward and leave?

    Time remaining until forcibly expelled: 10 minutes, 31 seconds

    I earned a celestial grade skill so easily? Keith was visibly delighted.

    While he had nearly lost his life during the evasion challenge, it wasn¡¯t because he couldn¡¯t do it, but that the unexpected loss of his buffs forced him into a deadly situation. Even without using Mana Vision, Keith was confident he could¡¯ve passed the challenge, though at great cost to his stamina.

    Regardless, now that Keith could actively rely on Mana Vision, he was fully confident he could pass the next challenge.

    Full of vigor, Keith spoke aloud, ¡°I want to continue.¡±

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64

    A new notification appeared in response to Keith¡¯s decision.

    Challenge 2: Precision.

    Description: Monsters will spawn. Attack their weak spots to instantly kill them.

    Note 1: Monsters will have a glowing weak spot somewhere on their body.

    Note 2: There are three types of weak spots: large (green), medium (yellow), and small (red).

    Note 3: Monsters will not take damage from any attack unless you hit their weak spot.

    Note 4: Monsters in this challenge will not provide experience or loot.

    Time remaining until the next challenge begins: 10 minutes and 28 seconds

    Would you like to begin now?

    ¡°I¡¯ll wait,¡± Keith said after reading through the notification.

    It was wise to recover as much energy as possible before the next challenge started. And so, Keith withdrew a chair from his grimoire and sat down, drinking some water as he rested.

    Ten minutes later, he took back the chair, buffed himself, and summoned twenty-some Arsenal of the Desert weapons. All of them were daggers ¨C tiny and agile. Keith guessed that speed was key to this next challenge. He didn¡¯t know how many monsters would spawn, and with there being an instant kill mechanic, it was best to keep their numbers under control. He didn¡¯t want to get overwhelmed.

    Five¡­

    Four¡­

    Three¡­

    Two¡­

    One¡­

    Right as the countdown hit zero, three arrays appeared atop the arena floor. Rising from them were kobolds ¨C humanoid rats covered in prickly brown fur. There were many types of kobolds, and these three were Kobold Warriors. They were celestial grade and matched Keith¡¯s level. As for their health, it showed only a single digit: 1.

    Of the three Kobold Warriors, one had a glowing green mark in the shape of a circle on their left shoulder, about six inches across. The second had a yellow mark, also in a circle, on their kneecap, about three inches across. The third¡¯s mark, colored red, was under its chin, about an inch across.

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    As soon as the Kobold Warriors spawned, they brandished their crude hatchets and rushed at Keith, snarling like rabid dogs.

    ¡°Go,¡± Keith spoke softly, pointing forward.

    Under his control, three of the daggers hovering around him shot off toward the Kobold Warriors, designating a single dagger for each. Seemingly oblivious to their weak points, the Kobold Warriors recklessly hacked at the flying daggers.

    At the same time, six more arrays appeared on the arena floor, from which more Kobold Warriors arose. Just as they spawned in, Keith¡¯s daggers maneuvered around the Kobold Warrior¡¯s hatchets and slashed across their weak points. The three Kobold Warriors shattered like glass, killed instantly without any fanfare.

    Interesting, Keith thought, marveling at the challenge¡¯s weak point mechanic.

    Unphased by their kindred¡¯s instant deaths, the freshly spawned Kobold Warriors charged forward. Keith sent out three more daggers, and a moment later, the six Kobold Warriors broke apart.

    Without delay, more arrays appeared.

    This time, among the Kobold Warriors was a Kobold Ranger, holding a crossbow.

    They aimed at Keith and fired, releasing a bolt that whistled through the air.

    Keith tilted his head to avoid the projectile while simultaneously striking the kobold''s weak points. He easily handled the start of the challenge, but as time went on, more and more kobolds spawned in. There were also new types of kobolds like Kobold Mages, Kobold Summoners, Kobold Warlocks, and others.

    Fifteen minutes into the challenge, around 30-40 kobolds spawned in at a time.

    At that point, Keith needed to utilize all his summoned weapons, including those from Quickdraw. Utilizing Mind Divison and Mind Enhancement, Keith controlled over thirty-five conjured daggers. They were like a swarm of enraged hornets, flying around and striking wherever the nearest weak point was.

    The kobolds with ranged attacks barely got an attack in before dying, which Keith avoided with ease.

    At the twenty-minute mark, the number of kobolds spawning in at a time outnumbered the maximum number of Keith¡¯s summoned weapons, and with all his focus on Arsenal of the Desert, Keith was unable to effectively use other skills.

    Yet, there was one thing he was most comfortable with using: himself.

    Withdrawing a longsword from his Grimoire, Keith approached a Kobold Berserker that just spawned, piercing its weak point with the tip of his weapon. Moving around the arena, he did what he could to keep the kobold''s numbers under control.

    Even then, as the challenge went on, the number of kobolds spawning in continued to rise. At twenty-five minutes, there were over sixty in the arena, with half of them possessing ranged capabilities.

    Dark Arrow, Magic Missile, Fireball, crossbow bolts, arrows, and all sorts of attacks rained down on Keith, who relied on nimble footwork or used kobolds as cover to avoid them.

    Inevitably, a few attacks struck true, wounding Keith.

    Now overwhelmed, Keith activated Mana Vision, finding clarity in the chaos.

    The next five minutes went by quickly, and the challenge ended at the thirty-minute mark. Gasping for breath, Keith sat on the ground, too tired to stand. He withdrew a bottle of water and poured it over his face to cool down. Then, he withdrew another to drink.

    After several minutes, Keith¡¯s racing heart calmed, and he relaxed.

    Looking up at the blinking notification, he saw his reward.

    Congratulations! You¡¯ve passed the second challenge.

    Reward: Celestial grade skill upgrade token.

    Do you want to attempt the next challenge or take your rewards and leave?

    Time remaining until forcibly expelled: 57 minutes, 2 seconds

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 65

    Chapter 65

    Keith gasped.

    Was the celestial grade skill upgrade token what he thought it was?

    Based on the name, there were two possibilities: it upgraded a celestial skill to transcendent grade, or it brought a lower grade skill to celestial grade. The first option was completely useless to Keith. His Mana Body already made it so that all celestial grade skills could perform as a transcendent grade. Keith hoped it was the second option.

    The first skill Keith thought of upgrading to celestial grade was Mana Barrier.

    Mana Barrier was unique in that any damage you took consumed mana instead of health. If it was upgraded to celestial grade, who knows how much more efficient the ratio between mana and damage would be?

    Keith figured the System wouldn¡¯t reward him something he didn¡¯t need.

    In any case, he would find out after completing the remaining challenges.

    ¡°I¡¯ll continue after resting,¡± Keith spoke to the System.

    As soon as Keith made his decision, information about the next challenge appeared.

    Challenge 3 (Final): Doppleganger.

    Description: A duplicate of your current self will spawn. Defeat it.

    Note 1: The doppelganger will have a copy of all of your current combat experience, equipment, innate gift, skills, and stats.

    Blinking repeatedly, Keith''s mouth hung open in disbelief.

    He suddenly regretted his choice to continue the challenge.

    Keith had never guessed for a second that the last challenge would be so outrageous. After all, it wasn¡¯t hard to imagine that killing a copy of yourself would be incredibly difficult, or outright impossible. Following his shock came anger, then depression.

    Withdrawing a chair, Keith slumped into it, his courage withering away.

    Half an hour passed before Keith shot up.

    The System wouldn¡¯t make an unbeatable challenge. There has to be a way! Keith thought, mustering his confidence. Reading through the challenge¡¯s information again, he instantly latched onto a word that appeared twice: current.

    That¡¯s it! Keith¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    The System clearly stated that the doppelganger would possess Keith¡¯s current parameters. That was the key. To overcome his doppelganger, Keith needed to grow during the battle. While he became stronger, the doppelganger remained the same.

    For Keith, that wasn¡¯t anything difficult at all.

    His confidence came from the fact that every day, he saw tangible growth in his overall strength. Not many could say the same. For example, Torg had long reached the peak of the Grandsky Realm. It took months to years for him to see progress.

    Keith calmed his emotions and prepped his mental state.

    During the remainder of the rest period, he reviewed his skills and the equipment he had on him, theorizing about how the doppelganger would fight.

    Soon, the ten second countdown appeared.

    As the timer ticked down, Keith retreated from the center of the arena, putting his back to the wall.

    5¡­

    4¡­

    3¡­

    2¡­

    1¡­

    An array appeared on the far side of the arena, from which a human youth sporting cyan hair arose. Everything about him looked exactly the same as Keith, except he had no expression.

    Before Keith could admire how handsome the doppelganger was, it looked at Keith and conjured five arrays.

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    Slimeballs! Keith cursed in alarm.

    Without hesitation, Keith used Blink and teleported ten feet to the left just as five Laegur Beams passed through his previous location.

    Keith¡¯s heart raced at the close call.

    The doppelganger had used the fastest skill in Keith¡¯s arsenal right off the bat. Thankfully, Keith recognized the array, or who knows what would¡¯ve happened.

    After the Laegur Beam arrays failed to kill Keith, the doppelganger waved its hand, summoning weapons from both Quickdraw and Arsenal of the Desert.

    A chill went down Keith¡¯s spine when he saw over thirty golden weapons point in his direction. He knew full well how deadly Arsenal of the Desert was. A few slashes from Arsenal of the Desert could snuff out his life.

    Keith forced himself to remain calm and unraveled the seals of two Mana Cores.

    The compressed mana promptly spread throughout Keith¡¯s body, restoring all the mana he had spent during the first two challenges. When the doppelganger sent its weapons flying over, Keith matched them with his own.

    CLANG!

    Like two swarms of angry bees in battle, both Keith''s and the doppelganger¡¯s weapons clashed repeatedly in the space above the arena. Each weapon could only last a few blows before crumbling apart, and when they did, Keith and the doppelganger summoned more.

    For a time, each side was evenly matched, yet as the battle went on, Keith¡¯s expression grew increasingly grim.

    To overcome the doppelganger, he needed to grow stronger, but Arsenal of the Desert was already at max level. There was no way for the skill to improve. Out of all the skills he had, there was one that could pave the way forward: Sword Mastery. It still had much room for growth.

    However, that meant he needed to engage the doppelganger in close combat. Doing so was incredibly risky, as he couldn¡¯t make a single mistake. Keith knew how powerful his skills were. They could breach the defenses of a level 800 divine grade monster with ease. In comparison, Keith¡¯s defenses were nothing worth mentioning.

    With no other options, Keith locked onto the doppelganger in the distance and abruptly dashed forward. Grabbing hold of a nearby longsword, he sprinted across the arena as countless conjured weapons clashed above his head. Keith¡¯s summoned weapons blocked whatever the doppelganger sent his way.

    In a few steps, Keith successfully arrived in front of the doppelganger, using his momentum to his advantage as he swung down from overhead. Still expressionless, the doppelganger grabbed a longsword of its own and parried Keith¡¯s strike with expert precision.

    Undeterred, Keith pressed forward, and the two descended into a duel.

    They fought throughout the arena, sometimes retreating and sometimes advancing.

    All the while, their conjured weapons fought in the sky above.

    The minutes passed as Keith repeatedly undid the seals on his Mana Cores.

    12¡­

    11¡­

    10¡­

    Initially starting with 14, he was now down to five.

    And yet, even after fighting the doppelganger in close combat for over an hour, Keith was unable to break past his guard. While he had gained a few levels in Sword Mastery, it wasn¡¯t enough to make a significant difference.

    Worse, fighting for such a long period, where a single mistake would lead to tragedy, had frayed Keith¡¯s nerves. He was mentally exhausted, especially since he had to control Arsenal of the Desert the entire time.

    Though the doppelganger fared no better, it remained expressionless, like a golem.

    Unlike it, who was a monster, Keith was human.

    He had emotions ¨C both positive and negative.

    And at a time like this, his confidence started to wane.

    For a swordsman, that was something that absolutely could not happen.

    The sword reflected the heart, and when Keith thought of retreating to try something else, he no longer attacked to kill. Instead, he tightened his guard and gave the initiative to the doppelganger.

    Now on the offensive, the doppelganger attacked continuously, giving Keith no time to breathe. Though he blocked and parried to the best of his abilities, Keith¡¯s exhaustion finally caught up to him.

    CLANG!

    A brutal cleave sent Keith¡¯s longsword flying out of his hand.

    The doppelganger followed up with another swing, and Keith¡¯s eyes widened as his right arm flew through the air. Before the doppelganger could finish the job, Keith teleported away.

    The doppelganger used Blink to catch up to Keith.

    Once¡­

    Twice¡­

    In seconds, Keith used all his Blink charges.

    When the doppelganger swung down once more, Keith had nowhere to run, so he activated Void Shadowstep to make himself phase through physical damage. The colossal amounts of damage he avoided severely drained his mana, and he was soon running on fumes, even after unsealing his remaining Mana Cores.

    Time slowed to a crawl.

    Keith watched as the doppelganger¡¯s weapon sliced through the air to make the final blow when he saw one of his conjured weapons out of the corner of his eye. In a desperate bid to survive, Keith controlled the spear with his mind and deflected the doppelganger¡¯s attack at the last moment, causing it to miss Keith¡¯s body by a narrow margin.

    The sight shocked Keith to his core.

    Not long ago, Keith¡¯s Sword Mastery skill entered a new realm as he came to understand force and all its subtleties. It allowed him to break apart his opponent¡¯s use of force with ease.

    But just now, when his spear deflected the doppelganger¡¯s weapon, Keith suddenly realized something. What stopped him from applying his new understanding of control to all his Arsenal of the Desert weapons?

    The answer was nothing.

    Nothing at all!

    No matter whether it was a dagger, axe, spear, or any other weapon, they could do the same thing Keith did with a sword. Thinking about it now, Keith realized he had used Arsenal of the Desert in the most barbaric manner ¨C clashing with brute strength and no finesse.

    Keith now knew how stupid he had been.

    At that moment, Keith was at ease, and under the control of his divided minds, he extended his understanding of force to all his weapons.

    Nearby, his dagger struck the doppelganger¡¯s axe at the starting point of its swing, interrupting its momentum. In the air, his spear guided a short sword to collide with another weapon, causing both of them to shatter. All over the arena, Keith''s weapons immediately gained an advantage.

    With renewed confidence, Keith withdrew a sword from his grimoire and locked down the doppelganger, once more entering a fierce duel.

    As they fought, the doppelganger¡¯s Arsenal of the Desert weapons broke apart one after another, and soon, Keith had the superiority in numbers. Now that a few of Keith¡¯s weapons were freed up, he swarmed the doppelganger, overwhelming it beyond its abilities.

    In but a moment, it dissipated into motes of light.

    Seeing that he¡¯d won, Keith raised his head to the sky and vented his emotions with a mighty shout that echoed throughout the colosseum.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 66

    Chapter 66

    Keith was so exhausted he was on the verge of passing out.

    Before he did, he withdrew some divine grade medicinal tree sap from his inventory and applied it to the spot where his arm was cut off to stem the bleeding. Soon after, his vision turned black, and he collapsed onto the arena floor.

    Several hours later, he awoke, starving.

    Sitting up, Keith took out a premade meal and promptly dug in.

    With his hunger satiated, Keith finally noticed three radiant golden chests placed on the ground not far from him. Above them was a notification.

    Congratulations!

    You¡¯ve passed all three challenges and acquired a new title ¡®Celestial Dungeon Conquerer¡¯!

    You can choose to leave whenever.

    (Title) Celestial Dungeon Conquerer

    Description: Slightly increases comprehension ability.

    ¡°Huh,¡± Keith clicked his tongue in wonder. He¡¯d never seen or heard of an effect like that. Though it was hard to quantify, he was happy to have it nonetheless.

    Swiping away the notification, Keith looked at the glowing chests and licked his lips in anticipation. All his previous efforts were for this moment.

    Grunting, Keith climbed to his feet and approached the golden chest on the left.

    He rubbed his hand across its surface, then opened it.

    Inside lay a dazzling skill gem.

    (Celestial, Skill) Freedom

    Description: Erect an intangible sphere in the surrounding area. While inside the sphere, all of your short-ranged teleport skills have no cooldown, no mana cost, and unlimited charges.

    Keith gasped, amazed by the skill¡¯s effect.

    He currently had one short-range teleport skill: Blink.

    It had 5 charges, with each charge taking 30 seconds to regenerate.

    All of those restrictions didn¡¯t matter when he used Freedom.

    Amazing as it was, Keith¡¯s only regret was that the sphere Freedom created didn¡¯t move.

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    However, would that change when Mana Body upgraded it to transcendent grade?

    Wanting to find out, Keith absorbed the skill gem to acquire the skill.

    Then, he looked at the transcendent grade version of Freedom.

    (Transcendent, Skill) Freedom

    Description: For a brief period, all of your short-ranged teleport skills have no cooldown, no mana cost, and unlimited charges.

    Keith burst into laughter.

    Instead of creating a sphere, Freedom directly turned into a buff skill.

    How awesome!

    Keith wanted to cast it on the spot to get a feel for its effects when he recalled how mana-hungry the transcendent grade version of Arsenal of the Desert was. The odds that a buff would cost even more were high. He guessed a transcendent grade Freedom would consume at least a few hundred thousand mana.

    I need to form Mana Cores first, Keith decided.

    He had used up all his Mana Cores during the fight with the doppelganger.

    They were his trump card, and now that he had none, Keith felt vulnerable.

    Of course, he could still draw mana from Mana Battery, but that was a last resort.

    Ever since acquiring the method to form Mana Cores, Keith wanted to avoid using Mana Battery as much as possible. Besides putting him out of commission, getting Mana Sickness was an unpleasant experience.

    Keith moved on to the next treasure chest.

    Opening it, he found a large silver coin.

    (Celestial) Skill Upgrade Token

    Description: Upon use, raises a skills grade to celestial.

    ¡°Great!¡± Keith exclaimed, delighted.

    It was just as he expected.

    The System wouldn¡¯t reward him with something useless.

    Picking up the token, Keith wanted to use it on Mana Barrier right away when a thought occurred to him. If he leveled the rare grade Mana Barrier to 1,000 before upgrading it, would the level stay the same, or would it drop?

    Briefly weighing the heavy silver token in his hand, Keith stored it in his inventory, having decided to level Mana Barrier first. There was no rush to use it.

    Finally, Keith turned to the last treasure chest, his eyes sparkling like stars.

    The third challenge was by far the hardest.

    Very few could pass it.

    Since it was so difficult, the reward would surely be the best.

    The System hadn¡¯t even told him what it was, as if it was teasing him.

    Taking a breath, Keith opened the lid and saw a luxurious cyan robe folded within.

    Keith froze, awed by its beauty.

    Pulsing with mana, the robe had a golden phoenix stitched across the front. It was so lifelike it almost seemed as if it would jump out of the cloth and appear in the flesh. The edges of the robe, like the cuffs and color, were also golden, complementing the soothing cyan color.

    Keith carefully picked up the robe, finding it cool to the touch, and cast Inspect.

    (Rare, Growth-type equipment) Robes of the Manaborne ¨C Level 1

    Description: An equipment that takes up the chest and pants slot. By absorbing experience, it can grow in level and grade. Acquires new skills and stats with every grade. Stats, skills, and defenses scale accordingly.

    +5 Physical Defense

    +15 Spell Defense

    +3 Agility

    +6 Intelligence

    +10 Health

    +20 Mana

    Skill 1: Tethered Mana. 1% of mana consumed by skills returns to the user.

    Skill 2: Unification of Mana and Mind. Raises mana affinity by 1.

    ¡°Oh my slimeball!¡± Keith shouted in unprecedented glee.

    Before opening the chest, there was a small part of him that hoped the reward would be a transcendent grade item. Never did he expect it to be a growth-type item, something he¡¯d never heard of until now. He was over the moon with excitement.

    Outside of special circumstances, equipment couldn¡¯t level up.

    A level 800 transcendent grade item would forever remain at level 800.

    But the Robes of the Manaborne had the potential to grow to both level 1,000 and become transcendent grade. It could become the number one piece of equipment in the entire Grandsky Realm, so long as Keith let it absorb enough experience.

    Keith carefully stored the Robes of the Manaborne in his inventory.

    Glancing down at his hand, he found himself shaking from the joy of acquiring such precious loot. It was for moments like this that he loved adventuring.

    Sighing, Keith looked around the arena, nodded, then turned and walked out the way he came. He had arrived to face several challenges, overcame each one, and left victorious!

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67

    Keith walked up the stone steps and emerged from the depths of the dungeon.

    As soon as he appeared, a military official came over and eyed Keith¡¯s missing arm. ¡°Well done! Do you need medical treatment?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Keith shook his head.

    The official stepped aside and gestured for Keith to follow. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, we¡¯d like to record your experiences in the dungeon. The more information we know about the challenges, the better. It¡¯ll help to prevent casualties.¡±

    ¡°No need to explain, I understand,¡± Keith smiled.

    ¡°Good. This way.¡±

    The official led Keith into the fortress surrounding the dungeon and into a side room, where a middle-aged scholarly elf sat behind a desk, typing away on their magic tablet.

    ¡°This is Ms. Grey. She¡¯ll take over from here,¡± the official explained from outside the room. When Keith entered, the official shut the door to give them some privacy.

    ¡°Take a seat, I¡¯ll be with you in a moment,¡± Ms. Grey said without looking up.

    Doing as suggested, Keith sat down and made himself comfortable.

    Seconds later, Ms. Grey asked, ¡°Name?¡±

    ¡°Keith Walker,¡± Keith replied.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Ms. Grey finally looked up, surprised to hear that name.

    She adopted a more serious expression. ¡°Can you describe what happened in the dungeon?¡±

    At her request, Keith promptly shared the details of each challenge, as well as his rewards. Ms. Grey silently recorded everything on the magic tablet as he explained. When he got to the last challenge, Ms. Grey interrupted, ¡°Wait, you accepted the third challenge?¡±

    ¡°Yes, why?¡± Keith was puzzled.

    Ms. Grey looked at Keith in a new light. ¡°No matter who enters the dungeon, they can do no more than three challenges. Of those who accept the last one, most fail. So far, less than a hundred have succeeded.¡±

    Here, Ms. Grey was visibly interested, ¡°What did your third challenge entail?¡±

    ¡°I had to defeat a doppelganger,¡± Keith answered.

    Ms. Grey¡¯s pupils shrunk. ¡°As expected of the High Commander¡¯s son.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Keith inquired as he sat up.

    Ms. Grey hesitated briefly before revealing, ¡°Besides you, two people have had to face a doppelganger on their third challenge.¡±

    ¡°My dad and Ska¡¯dur?¡± Keith laughed knowingly.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Ms. Grey confirmed.

    ¡°What were their rewards?¡± Keith asked, curious how his compared to theirs.

    ¡°I can¡¯t share that with you,¡± Ms. Grey answered.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Keith leaned into his chair. ¡°I¡¯ll just ask them myself.¡±

    Ms. Grey¡¯s eyebrow twitched.

    A moment later, she said, ¡°Do you mind sharing what reward you acquired for defeating the doppelganger?¡±

    ¡°A growth-type equipment,¡± Keith responded, deciding to keep its exact details to himself.

    ¡°I see,¡± Ms. Grey wasn¡¯t surprised to hear that, which piqued Keith¡¯s interest.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    He stated, ¡°I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s what my dad and Ska¡¯dur got, too.¡±

    Ms. Grey¡¯s silence confirmed Keith¡¯s guess.

    After answering a few more questions, Keith went through a series of teleportation arrays and arrived back at the Blockade. Upon entering his house, he resumed his daily routine of drinking a dozen or so elixirs, having grown sick of their taste. Thankfully, it wouldn¡¯t be long now until he capped out the stats he could gain from them.

    A few minutes later, Keith sunk into his couch and withdrew the Robes of the Manaborne. He lovingly caressed the fabric as you would a newborn baby.

    How should I level it up? Keith thought.

    There were two ways the Robes of the Manaborne could level.

    He could either sacrifice his own levels or configure it so that whenever he killed a monster, the Robes of the Manaborne would take a portion of the experience for itself. Keith could set it to take anywhere from 1% to 100% of the experience gained.

    Keith was unwilling to sacrifice his hard-earned levels.

    He didn¡¯t want to see his level drop.

    Fortunately, he was at the Blockade.

    There were countless monsters for him to hunt ¨C leveling the Robes of the Manaborne shouldn¡¯t be an issue. With that said, the very next day, Keith hovered above the Blockade, fiddling with the Robes of the Manaborne¡¯s settings. He would let the robes take 100% of all the experience he¡¯d acquire from today¡¯s defense.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the monster horde to arrive.

    As usual, Keith unleashed a massacre, culling the monsters like wheat.

    It was even more so now that he extended his recent understanding in Sword Mastery to Arsenal of the Desert.

    One hundred¡­

    One thousand¡­

    Ten thousand¡­

    Keith quickly lost count of how many monsters he killed.

    From time to time, he checked in on the level and grade of the Robes of the Manaborne.

    Each level it gained sent tingles down his spine, and when rose a grade, he felt unprecedented satisfaction. Keith refrained from checking out the equipment¡¯s new skills and stats. He wanted to wait until the monster horde was over.

    The hours passed quickly.

    As soon as the monster horde ended, Keith rushed home, eager to check out the updated Robes of the Manaborne.

    (Mythic, Growth-type equipment) Robes of the Manaborne ¨C Level 587

    Description: An equipment that takes up the chest and pants slot. By absorbing experience, it can grow in level and grade. Acquires new skills and stats with every grade. Stats, skills, and defenses scale accordingly.

    +1,500 Physical Defense

    +3,000 Spell Defense

    +300 Agility

    +1,200 Intelligence

    +10,000 Health

    +30,000 Mana

    +5% cast speed

    +5% Spell damage

    Skill 1: Tethered Mana. 5% of mana consumed by skills returns to the user.

    Skill 2: Unification of Mana and Mind. Raises mana, fire, wind, earth, and water affinity by 1.

    Skill 3: Spell Ward. When struck by a spell, ignore its damage and effects. 1 minute cooldown.

    Keith struck the air with his fist and whooped in delight.

    The Robes of the Manaborne¡¯s stats were comparable to top-of-the-line mythic grade equipment. Not only that, its skills were unique. The addition of Spell Ward was icing on the cake.

    After celebrating, Keith calculated how much experience the robes had absorbed when he gasped in shock.

    No way! Keith thought, dumbfounded.

    The experience it needed to level from 587 to 588 was exactly how much he required at that level. It was already a pain in the slimeball for Keith to level up. If he wanted to continue leveling the Robes of the Manaborne, his leveling speed would surely slow down even more.

    But of course, he had to!

    It was a potential transcendent grade item, after all.

    Keith would be an idiot to ignore it.

    Sighing, he made himself comfortable on the couch and began meditating to increase his mana recovery rate. He wanted to restore his Mana Cores as soon as possible.

    Meanwhile, Keith¡¯s clone was tucked away in the corner of Frisk¡¯s personal time-accelerated Pocket Dimension, researching Fireball. Since there were no visible arrays for him to study, he had to learn the old-fashioned way, so he recently visited Adventurer Academy.

    With his status as the High Commander¡¯s son, Keith could easily request for the teachers there to tutor him in private sessions, but he chose not to.

    Instead, he met up with a few teachers after classes ended and offered them a lucrative commission to tutor him. The items he gave them came straight from the Blockade and were top-of-the-line. They were more than willing to accept.

    From then on, the teachers Keith hired occasionally came to Frisk¡¯s time-accelerated Pocked Dimension and taught Keith what he wanted to know.

    Heat.

    Transfer of energy.

    Propulsion.

    Combustion.

    Once Keith understood the mechanisms related to explosions, he internalized his new knowledge and applied it to arrays. It didn¡¯t take long for him to reverse-engineer the Fireball skill. After that, he continuously increased the complexity of the Fireball array, raising its speed, compression, and explosiveness.

    As a result, Keith¡¯s Fireball skill level shot through the roof, and at the same time, his understanding of arrays rose significantly. By tonight or tomorrow at the latest, Keith¡¯s Fireball skill would reach level 1,000, making it his second level 1,000 skill.

    Keith had already decided on the next skill to research: Mana Barrier.

    He had high expectations for it, especially since he had an item that could raise it to the celestial grade. Mana Barrier was also one of the first skills he had ever acquired, making him fond of it. Keith didn¡¯t want to abandon it so easily. Hopefully, he could elevate it beyond its initial parameters, transforming it into something he¡¯d use over the years to come.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 68

    Chapter 68

    At the Sin Dimension¡¯s gateway.

    Not long ago, a prosperous demon city had stood here, only for the Elemental¡¯s legions to engulf it in flames. It was now the location of the main battlefield between the Elemental Nation and the Sin Dimension¡¯s forces.

    After Wrath narrowly survived Torg¡¯s surprise attack, Greed and Gluttony rallied the demons together, knowing that Wrath wouldn¡¯t be able to hold himself back from getting even with Torg. Indeed, once Wrath recovered, he charged headfirst through the Sin Dimension gateway, appearing in the Grandsky Realm.

    When he did, Torg emerged from seclusion and a grand battle ensued.

    Torg, Rammy, Flynn, Isabal, Wrath, Greed, and Gluttony fought in the sky while the Elemental¡¯s legions used the Sin Dimension¡¯s gateway as a chokepoint to hold back the demons.

    That battle ended with no victor, and both sides took a few days to recover before duking it out once again. Since then, they fought three times, losing thousands in every battle and forming an enmity so great that they wouldn¡¯t stop fighting until one side remained.

    Currently, all was quiet.

    Not far from the Sin Dimension¡¯s gateway, inside the Elemental¡¯s camp, Rammy sat in her private quarters and rubbed her forehead in exhaustion. She had barely gotten any sleep over the past week and was running on fumes.

    Sighing heavily, she withdrew a case from her inventory and opened it. Within were Physique Booster potions. Rammy grabbed one and swallowed its contents. It was like a super concentrated dose of caffeine swept through her body. Almost immediately, she felt her fatigue withdraw, replaced by a surge of energy.

    As one of the Elemental¡¯s top fighters, Rammy needed to be combat-ready at every given moment and had been relying heavily on Physique Booster potions to do so. But even they had their limits. Rammy could tell her body was growing resistant to the potion''s effects. It wouldn¡¯t take long before they stopped working entirely.

    ¡°Hopefully, it¡¯ll be enough,¡± Rammy muttered to herself.

    In a war, when both sides were equally matched, what determined victory or defeat was energy reserves. As time went on, one side would inevitably run out of stamina and mana. That was why Rammy, Flynn, Isabel, and Torg resorted to doping themselves. They were doing everything they could to outlast Wrath, Greed, and Gluttony.

    Now that Rammy felt better, she started reading through several documents detailing how the Innate¡¯s army wiped out the demons invading the Elemental¡¯s heartland and the appearance of a celestial grade dungeon.

    ¡°So, it was Pride¡¯s doing,¡± Rammy hummed in understanding. It was of great relief to hear that the Innates had secured their borders, though it was a shame about the dungeon. Rammy, Flynn, Isabel, and Torg simply couldn¡¯t leave the battlefield. They couldn¡¯t even spare sending their top elites to challenge the dungeon.

    Just then, the ringing of a bell resounded throughout the camp ¨C a signal that the demons were attacking. Rammy rose to her feet, put on her equipment, and rushed out of her tent.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ****

    Keith woke up to a notification blinking in his face.

    Congratulations, you leveled a skill to 1,000!

    Reach level 1,000 in two more skills to attain additional benefits.

    There was no doubt about it: his Fireball skill had reached level 1,000.

    Swiping away the notification, Keith got out of bed and stretched with a wide smile on his face. The fact he progressed while sleeping left him feeling pleased with himself. Keith focused on his clone¡¯s activities and realized he was already studying Mana Barrier.

    Ah, how great would it be if I could get another clone? Keith thought, lamenting how expensive the Clone (2) function was. Another clone meant he could research two skills at once.

    After eating breakfast, Keith took out a journal and pencil, falling into deep thought.

    Recently, he¡¯d been developing himself in multiple directions, either with studying skills, practicing Sword Mastery, or leveling up. Thinking about it, Keith had so many methods to grow stronger that he didn¡¯t know what to prioritize.

    It was time to review everything and come up with a development plan.

    First, skills.

    Arsenal of the Desert¡¯s weapons came in many forms, and sometimes using a sword wasn¡¯t the best option. Besides Sword Mastery, there was Dagger Mastery, Spear Master, Axe Master, and so on. Each had their intricacies. Since Keith frequently used Arsenal of the Desert, it might be worthwhile to learn the corresponding mastery skills.

    Another type of skill that Keith had shied away from was endurance-type skills.

    For example, Stone Skin.

    The skill was a rare passive skill, in that it didn¡¯t cost mana to use.

    To train the skill, you needed to take a literal beating.

    As a reward, it raised your body¡¯s natural defense.

    Keith had always avoided those types of skills because, well, who wanted to inflict pain on themselves? But as Keith experienced more and grew, his mentality matured. He now regretted that he never picked up Stone Skin.

    Moving on, Keith felt that he had neglected his innate gift as of late.

    There were a few things he¡¯d like to collect, namely: a Magic Network tower and a Skyship. He hoped to unlock a new function from them.

    As for his current functions, Keith wanted to make better use of Rift Simulator.

    Though the Grandsky Realm didn¡¯t have any Rifts, he could consult with Wes, Adventurer Academy¡¯s Dean. The man¡¯s innate gift allowed him to create Rifts, so long as he had the necessary materials. With Keith¡¯s current ability, he could easily acquire divine grade materials to create a divine grade Rift.

    There wasn¡¯t much Keith could do with his Farming Simulator, outside of investing billions of gold. The divine grade seed he had planted still needed a little under two months to grow. He was looking forward to its effect.

    Regarding other functions, Keith was a bit miffed he hadn¡¯t unlocked a function dealing with skills or monster eggs. It didn¡¯t matter how many of them he collected; they never showed up.

    There was one final thing Keith wanted to focus on: Mana Vision.

    Besides giving him omnidirectional sight, it also allowed him to see the elements. Fire, water, earth, and wind were all different forms of mana. He wondered if he could acquire Fire Manipulation, Water Manipulation, and so on by connecting to them with Mana Vision. So far, those skills have been exclusive to the Elemental Dimension. If Keith could acquire them, his elemental skills would receive a significant boost.

    As Keith was reviewing his notes, a beep came from his magic tablet.

    Ska¡¯dur had sent him a message.

    Keith, I have an opportunity for you.

    I recently created a new skill and want to share it with you, along with a few others.

    Tonight at 7 pm, meet me at this location.

    Upon reading through the message, Keith was astonished.

    Isn¡¯t that Ska¡¯dur¡¯s second self-created skill?

    Keith knew what that meant.

    Ska¡¯dur had completed the hidden requirements needed to create a second skill.

    Keith was still clueless as to what those requirements were.

    Now, he could just ask Ska¡¯dur.

    In any case, Keith was looking forward to learning what skill Ska¡¯dur created.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 69

    Chapter 69

    In a forest near the Blockade, there was a small clearing where Ska¡¯dur sat atop a boulder with his legs crossed. Motionless, he listened to the chirping of birds and the buzzing of insects, relaxing under the rays of light that peaked through the canopy.

    Sometime later, a dwarf appeared in the sky and landed next to Ska¡¯dur, laughing, ¡°What¡¯s this about a new skill, Sir Ska¡¯dur?¡±

    ¡°Be patient,¡± Ska¡¯dur eyed the dwarf. ¡°Wait for the others to arrive.¡±

    Humming, the dwarf found somewhere to sit and asked, ¡°How many are coming?¡±

    ¡°About 20 or so,¡± Ska¡¯dur replied simply.

    Over the next ten minutes, one person after another arrived in the clearing, whereupon they each made themselves comfortable. There were dwarves, elves, orcs, and humans, both male and female.

    When Keith showed up, he was recognized by everyone, and in turn, he recognized them. Besides Keith, everyone here was among the top 20 in the Blockade¡¯s ranking list. They were the strongest individuals in the Innate Nation.

    Ignoring their gazes, Keith approached Ska¡¯dur with a grin, ¡°Uncle, long time no see.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you could come,¡± Ska¡¯dur¡¯s face lit up with delight as he jumped off the boulder and clasped Keith¡¯s shoulder. Many in the area were envious of Ska¡¯dur¡¯s treatment toward Keith. He barely said a word when they arrived, yet when Keith came, he got up and embraced him.

    Keith clicked his tongue. ¡°Say, I thought you already created a skill? Does that mean you know the requirements to make another?¡±

    ¡°Lad, I¡¯ve created 18 skills to date, not just one,¡± Ska¡¯dur laughed boisterously.

    ¡°Dang!¡± Keith looked at Ska¡¯dur in wonder.

    Ska¡¯dur waved his hand. ¡°It¡¯s not that amazing. It was easier when we were restricted to the Innate Dimension.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± Keith grew curious.

    ¡°Simple.¡± Ska¡¯dur began. ¡°To create a second skill, you need to max out the level of the first one. In the Innate Dimension, leveling a skill to 500 wasn¡¯t that difficult. Now that we¡¯re in the Grandsky Realm, it¡¯s a lot harder.¡±

    Keith¡¯s eyes lit up, then dimmed.

    Quickdraw involved opening a space in your consciousness. He had no clue how that worked. Nobody else knew either. That meant Keith would have difficulty leveling the skill to 1,000.

    After catching up with Ska¡¯dur, Keith wanted to ask him about the reward he got from the doppelganger challenge but thought better of it when he saw so many people around. While they conversed, Markus landed in the clearing.

    Upon his arrival, everyone stood up, full of respect.

    ¡°High Commander.¡±

    ¡°Greetings, High Commander.¡±

    Half of the people here belonged to the military, while the other half were adventurers who worked closely with the top echelon of the Innate¡¯s government. They had interacted with Markus before, with some more familiar with him than others.

    ¡°Relax. I¡¯m off-duty,¡± Markus smiled, then turned to Keith and nodded.

    Ska¡¯dur glanced around. ¡°Seems like everyone¡¯s here. Good.¡±

    Jumping onto the boulder, Ska¡¯dur overlooked the clearing. ¡°I¡¯ve recently developed a new skill, and considering the state of things, I¡¯ve decided to share it with you all. However, there¡¯s a condition. You mustn¡¯t reveal anything about the skill or how it works to anyone else.¡±

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Nobody spoke as Ska¡¯dur continued. ¡°Frankly, this skill is too amazing, and I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll fall into the wrong hands, like Torgs.¡±

    ¡°What makes it so special?¡± An elf asked, intrigued.

    Ska¡¯dur organized his thoughts before explaining, ¡°As many of you have experienced, after reaching a certain threshold, you can no longer gain stats from physical exertion or elixirs. The skill I created resolves this issue.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    ¡°Is that true?¡±

    Everyone stood to their feet, expressing surprise and joy.

    Ska¡¯dur raised a hand, making everyone fall silent. He continued, ¡°The skill has high requirements in both muscle control and Mana Manipulation. Without either, it¡¯s pointless. Oh, you also need to use a few arrays.¡±

    The people gathered were all gifted geniuses.

    They were all confident in their muscle control and Mana Manipulation abilities, though some had never learned arrays. The dwarf who arrived first inquired with a troubled expression, ¡°How hard are these arrays?¡±

    ¡°If you have level 500 Mana Manipulation, not difficult. You just need to copy what I show you,¡± Ska¡¯dur answered as the dwarf heaved a sigh of relief.

    Raising an arm, Ska¡¯dur said, ¡°Watch carefully.¡±

    Keith observed as Ska¡¯dur¡¯s arm started to shake ever so slightly. There was also a soft hum in the air. Without superhuman senses, he wouldn¡¯t have noticed anything different.

    ¡°Keith, try touching my arm,¡± Ska¡¯dur requested.

    Everyone¡¯s eyes converged on Keith as he approached Ska¡¯dur. Reaching out with a finger, Keith had barely tapped Ska¡¯dur¡¯s arm when an explosive force blasted his hand away. Keith took two steps back before he stabilized himself.

    ¡°Vibrations?¡± A sharp-eyed elf muttered.

    ¡°Exactly so,¡± Ska¡¯dur grinned. ¡°Using precise control over individual muscle fibers, I can create a powerful vibration through high-speed contraction and relaxation. I call it Tremor Force.¡±

    To demonstrate that Tremor Force was no joke, Ska¡¯dur jumped off the boulder he was standing on and rested his palm on its surface. With a grunt, Ska¡¯dur¡¯s arm blurred as he increased the frequency of vibrations. Everyone¡¯s jaw dropped when the boulder suddenly shattered into dust.

    Turning around to face the crowd, Ska¡¯dur revealed, ¡°The upper limit of Tremor Force depends on your physical stats. However, there¡¯s a catch. Without enough vitality and endurance, you¡¯ll end up damaging yourself. I discovered that this damage comes from microtears in the muscle fiber, similar to working out. Anyway, I started thinking¡­ could I apply the same principles behind Tremor Force to mana?¡±

    Without pausing, mana rose from Ska¡¯dur¡¯s body and started vibrating in the same manner as his muscles, though clearly at a decreased frequency.

    Ska¡¯dur paused briefly. ¡°I wanted to combine both the physical and mana aspects of Tremor Force, but nothing came out of it. That¡¯s where the magic of the skill creation came into play. As usual, the System filled in the gaps, though I¡¯m ashamed to admit the arrays it used weren¡¯t even that complicated. In the end, the Tremor Force Body Tempering skill came into existence.¡±

    All of a sudden, ripples spread out from Ska¡¯dur¡¯s body, sending visible waves through the air. At the same time, blood seeped out of Ska¡¯dur¡¯s pores, covering him in blood.

    ¡°Are you okay?!¡± Keith gasped in shock.

    Ska¡¯dur raised his head and laughed. ¡°Without destruction, how can there be growth? The effects of the Tremor Force Body Tempering skill lie in its name. Tempering through vibration! As long as I¡¯m getting stronger, so what if it''s painful?¡±

    Keith¡¯s eyebrows twitched.

    A moment later, Ska¡¯dur deactivated the skill and then used a Cleanliness Ring to remove the blood. All this time, Markus had remained silent, simply observing. It was only after Ska¡¯dur¡¯s demonstration finished that he asked, ¡°How many stats have you gained since acquiring the skill this morning?¡±

    Ska¡¯dur counted with his fingers. ¡°About a couple dozen points in strength, vitality, agility, and endurance.¡±

    Audible exclamations came from the crowd. They couldn¡¯t believe what they¡¯d just heard. A human shook their head in doubt. ¡°Sir Ska¡¯dur, are you joking with us?¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Ska¡¯dur squinted his eyes. ¡°Why do you think I asked you to keep this a secret? This skill isn¡¯t all that difficult to learn. Should our enemies acquire it, what do you think will happen?¡±

    Markus nodded in agreement. ¡°Your concern is valid.¡±

    At that moment, a familiar hum came from a middle-aged elf sitting cross-legged on the ground. Keith looked over and saw the elf¡¯s body vibrating like mad. Sensing everyone¡¯s attention on her, the elf opened her eyes, ¡°Indeed, with sufficient control, it¡¯s not hard at all.¡±

    With Ska¡¯dur¡¯s demonstration over, he went on to share the arrays involved in the skill.

    In less than an hour, everyone present had learned the skill, Keith included.

    (Transcendent, Legacy Skill) Tremor Force Body Tempering

    Description: A specific method of controlling mana and muscle to temper the user¡¯s body.

    Note 1: Causes damage to the user.

    The skill¡¯s effects were terrifying.

    In the short five minutes Keith had it active, his stats, save for intelligence, rose by 3 points each. For Keith, the accompanying pain was still bearable, though if it were him from a few years ago, he doubted he¡¯d be able to endure it.

    As amazing as the skill was, the downside was obvious.

    Keith had lost 20% of his health in five minutes of tempering.

    To recover, it¡¯d take Keith over eight hours.

    That meant he could only use the skill a few times a week.

    Regardless, in the face of gaining stats, the downside wasn¡¯t worth mentioning.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 70

    Chapter 70

    After learning the Tremor Force Body Tempering skill, everyone was incredibly grateful to Ska¡¯dur. They thanked him repeatedly before leaving. Soon, only Keith, Markus, and Ska¡¯dur remained in the clearing.

    Keith spoke first, ¡°So I heard you guys beat the doppelganger challenge. What¡¯d you get?¡±

    ¡°Growth-type equipment,¡± Ska¡¯dur answered, withdrawing a pair of gauntlets from his inventory to show Keith. ¡°It takes up the weapon and glove slot.¡±

    Markus took out a greatsword. ¡°I acquired a growth-type equipment as well.¡±

    ¡°What a coincidence!¡± Keith grinned and revealed his Robes of the Manaborne.

    Markus and Ska¡¯dur glanced at each other in astonishment.

    Ska¡¯dur gave Keith a thumbs up, ¡°Nice job, lad.¡±

    ¡°I truly didn¡¯t expect this¡­¡± Markus sighed, proud that Keith faced a doppelganger and won.

    For a few minutes, the three of them inspected each other¡¯s growth-type equipment, marveling at their unique abilities. Ska¡¯dur¡¯s gauntlets had an ability that allowed him to convert his physical attack power into elemental attacks. As for Markus, his greatsword could increase its weight.

    Thinking briefly, Keith asked Ska¡¯dur, ¡°Uncle, have you attempted using tremor force on a spell like Fireball?¡±

    ¡°I did. Fireball¡¯s internal structure couldn¡¯t handle it and broke down. It was the same for every other spell I tried,¡± Ska¡¯dur explained with a shake of his head.

    Keith fell silent.

    He felt there was potential to fuse tremor force into spells to increase their lethality, though it seemed like some research was required.

    I have so many things to do but not enough time. If only I had my own time-accelerated Pocket Dimension, Keith thought.

    Turning to Markus, Keith inquired, ¡°Are you renting out time-accelerated Pocket Dimensions by chance?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s on the agenda,¡± Markus revealed. ¡°Even though we¡¯re increasing our production of Mana Reactors, they have too many applications. Every department has been begging for them. It¡¯s annoying.¡±

    ¡°What kinda timeframe are you thinking?¡± Keith wondered.

    Markus thought for a moment. ¡°For renting them out¡­ at least six months from now.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not too bad,¡± Keith nodded, growing expectant.

    Just then, Ska¡¯dur looked at Keith, ¡°Lad, I heard your sister has a rare healing innate gift.¡±

    Keith grimaced as he explained, ¡°Yeah, any damage she does instead heals, including damage over time effects. The problem is the pain you receive from her attacks is magnified countless times over. Last time, I was instantly knocked unconscious.¡±

    ¡°Young Elora has been very helpful the past month,¡± Markus added. ¡°It takes her just a few minutes to fully heal a whole infirmary.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Ska¡¯dur appeared delighted.

    Keith glanced at Ska¡¯dur in surprise. ¡°You can¡¯t be thinking of using her to speed up your Tremor Force Body Tempering skill, right?¡±

    ¡°That I am,¡± Ska¡¯dur chuckled.

    Keith knew Ska¡¯dur wouldn¡¯t be laughing later.

    Wearing a mischievous smile, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll send her a message on your behalf.¡±

    A few more minutes of discussion later, the three separated and Keith returned home.

    He added the Tremor Force Body Tempering skill to his development plan before going to bed.

    From that day on, Keith¡¯s schedule fell into a routine.

    In the morning, he¡¯d meditate and train his Mana Vision, trying to attain Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth Manipulation. After that, he¡¯d defend the Blockade, giving half his experience toward Robes of the Manaborne. When the battle ended, he¡¯d learn under the various tutors he hired to teach him how to handle weapons other than a sword. Following the tutoring sessions, he¡¯d return home and do one round of Tremor Force Body Tempering.

    During all that, his clone remained locked away in Frisk¡¯s time-accelerated Pocket Dimension, researching skills and leveling his array crafting kill.

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    Keith¡¯s efforts were constantly rewarded ¨C his skills improved, his level increased, and his stats rose with every passing day. It was a fulfilling and addicting lifestyle.

    Just like that, two months passed in the blink of an eye.

    Inside Keith¡¯s home, in the backyard, he sat cross-legged.

    His body continuously trembled, rupturing the ground he sat on.

    Ten minutes later, blood covered him from head to toe.

    Eventually, the trembling stopped, and Keith cleaned himself with a Cleanliness Ring.

    He sighed. It¡¯s getting harder to increase my stats with the Tremor Force Body Tempering skill. The only way to continue is to raise the vibration frequency, which depends on my Mana Manipulation skill. In any case, I¡¯ve already gained a few thousand stats. It did its job.

    Keith inspected his status and was pleased by what he saw.

    [Keith Walker]

    Level: 754

    Age: 25

    Titles: Celestial Adventurer, Celestial Dungeon Conquerer, +20 others

    Health: 412,000 -> 1,409,000

    Mana: 951,000 -> 2,830,000

    Strength: 11,432 -> 14,232

    Agility: 11,879 -> 14,011

    Intelligence: 17,781 -> 18,552

    Vitality: 12,499 -> 15,411

    Endurance: 12,345 -> 15,294

    Skills: Freedom, Quickdraw, +265 others

    Keith mentally summarized his gains over the past two months.

    For one, he found a celestial grade monster and solo-killed it, netting him the upgraded adventurer title.

    Title: Celestial Grade Adventurer

    Description: Increases the effectiveness of all primary stats by 20%.

    As for upgrading it to the last grade, Keith figured he had no chance. Till now, the only transcendent grade monster he knew of was Tyranus. Monsters at that grade were too rare. Keith accepted reality and didn¡¯t dwell on it.

    Keith¡¯s clone had also been hard at work.

    In two months, it had researched 6 skills to level 1,000 ¨C namely, Magic Missile, Mana Barrier, Ice Wall, Cold Snap, Cluster Bomb, and Ice Arrow. They were all skills with low grades.

    As a reward for leveling two more skills to level 1,000, the System evolved Keith¡¯s innate gift again. It upgraded his Rift Simulator function, allowing him to use three Rifts at the same time.

    The next evolution opportunity required Keith to level ten skills to level 1,000.

    He still needed to max out six more skills before that happened.

    To take advantage of the improved Rift Simulator, Keith sought out Wes, Adventurer Academy¡¯s headmaster, and gave him enough divine grade materials to create three divine grade Rifts, which Keith promptly collected.

    For the past month, Keith¡¯s virtual clones had been grinding 24/7 in the divine grade Rifts. They acquired gold, divine grade materials, divine grade skill gems, and rarely, elixirs. With Keith¡¯s terrifying attack power, which his virtual clones inherited, the three divine grade Rifts provided significant passive income. It was so much that Keith regretted having neglected the Rift Simulator function for so long.

    Keith¡¯s tutoring sessions had also been going well.

    Just like the first time, Adeiv contracted expert¡¯s talents to Keith so that he could progress faster. He now had a plethora of Mastery skills. All the training had vastly increased Arsenal of the Desert¡¯s lethality.

    When Keith initially created his development plan, leveling Stone Skin was one of his priorities.

    (Mythic, Skill) Stone Skin

    Description: Passively raises your resistance to physical and magical attacks. Scales based on skill level.

    Coincidentally, using the Tremor Force Body Tempering skill synergized greatly with Stone Skin. In a short two months, Keith attained a level in Stone Skin that took others years to reach. It was now level 414. At that level, he was pretty much immune to attacks from people under level 300.

    For a time, Keith wondered whether he should use his celestial grade upgrade token on Stone Skin instead of Mana Barrier. In the end, he still wanted to upgrade Mana Barrier. After all, he was a mage, and he had way more mana to work with than most people.

    And so, Keith used the invaluable celestial grade upgrade token on Mana Barrier, transforming it from a rare grade skill into a celestial grade one. Under the effects of Keith¡¯s transcendent grade Mana Body, it went one grade further and reached transcendent grade.

    The description of the skill didn¡¯t change much, though it did drop in level to level 400.

    When activated, Keith discovered that the Mana Barrier fused into his skin, flesh, blood, and bones, covering him in multiple layers. He counted no less than a hundred layers, each stacked on top of each other.

    Keith tested Mana Barrier¡¯s new defensive capabilities and learned something shocking.

    It could actually block a Laegur Beam array head-on.

    The beam chewed through a dozen layers, breaking through Keith¡¯s skin at most.

    The mana consumed to block the beam didn¡¯t break 100,000.

    Overall, the skill vastly improved Keith¡¯s defenses, leaving him very satisfied.

    At the Blockade, Keith gained two things in abundance ¨C experience and event points.

    Robes of the Manaborne was now level 703 and officially divine grade.

    It also came with a new skill.

    (Skill Fusion)

    Description: Temporarily combine two skills to create a new effect.

    Note 1: This skill has a long cooldown.

    Note 2: Some skills are incompatible with each other.

    Regarding event points, although a majority of Keith¡¯s points went toward investing in the three new Rifts Wes created, he was still about 70% of the way toward purchasing a Skyship. Even if it didn¡¯t unlock a new function, it would still give a considerable amount of Collection Value.

    Finally, Keith¡¯s progress on Mana Vision had reached a roadblock.

    He could acutely sense the various elements in the air, yet he had no way to control them. Keith knew he was missing something crucial. To break through the bottleneck, Keith planned on consuming the divine grade herb he¡¯d spent three months growing in his Farm Simulator.

    (Divine, Herb) Rainbow Pearl Grass

    Description: Consumption temporarily raises comprehension ability by a significant amount. Repeated use reduces effectiveness.

    The herb finished growing a week ago.

    Since then, Keith had Adeiv ask around, inquiring whether there were any known potion recipes involving the Rainbow Pearl Grass. Unfortunately, there were none, so Keith had to make do with consuming it raw.

    For the past few days, Keith adjusted his state of mind, and he was now ready to give it a shot. Sitting cross-legged in his living room, Keith tossed the Rainbow Pearl Grass into his mouth. Like magic, it melted into liquid, which he promptly swallowed. The taste was somewhat sweet.

    Closing his eyes, Keith focused his senses.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 71

    Chapter 71

    A profound chill coursed through Keith¡¯s brain as his body digested the Rainbow Pearl Grass. Unprecedented clarity struck him ¨C similar to the times when he studied arrays and solved a problem or the moment when ignorance transformed into knowledge. That was the state Keith found himself in.

    Keith felt like he understood everything, and yet, nothing at all.

    His mind wandered without focus.

    Seconds passed until a sense of urgency rose.

    Vaguely, Keith knew he was wasting precious time.

    The effects of the Rainbow Pearl Grass wouldn¡¯t last forever.

    Like waking from a dream, Keith¡¯s awareness returned.

    He quickly began meditating and homed in on the motes of mana floating aimlessly around him. Keith tried controlling the brown ones to no avail. Even with the Rainbow Pearl Grass, I still can¡¯t control them. What am I missing?

    While in a state of enlightenment, a question came to the front of his consciousness: How does mana regeneration work?

    Keith was stunned.

    Sometimes, when directionless, a question was all you needed to get started.

    Right! Keith thought. When I spend mana, I¡¯m somehow capable of restoring it over time. Obviously, it comes from my surroundings. I should observe the process.

    With that said, Keith cast Arsenal of the Desert a few times to drain his mana.

    Then, he watched.

    At that moment, though it was almost imperceptible, of the countless mana floating around him, a few flew in his direction, almost as if it was pulled by an unseen force. It entered his chest.

    What¡¯s affecting it? Keith was bewildered.

    Again and again, he observed motes of mana entering his body, whereupon they attuned to him through some unknown method. Frowning, he recalled how meditation could increase a person¡¯s mana regeneration speed.

    Why was that?

    Testing something, Keith willed for the surrounding mana to surge toward him.

    Shockingly, he observed a dozen motes of mana listen to his call.

    It worked!

    His will affected mana unattuned to him.

    The discovery delighted him.

    To confirm, Keith tried it again, and again.

    However, after willing the surrounding mana multiple times over, he suddenly felt exhausted. At the same time, the effects of the Rainbow Pearl Grass wore off.

    Taking a deep breath, Keith concluded his findings.

    Firstly, it appeared that his body was akin to a reservoir. Whenever the reservoir wasn¡¯t full, it¡¯d attract the surrounding mana to fill itself. Secondly, his consciousness had a weak effect on attracting mana.

    When Keith opened his eyes, he saw blinking notifications.

    Congratulations! You¡¯ve unlocked a secondary stat: Mind.

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    (Secondary Stat) Mind

    Description: Determines how strong your consciousness is and your ability to control it.

    Congratulations! You¡¯ve unlocked a new title: Secondary Stat Holder.

    (Title) Secondary Stat Holder

    Description: Gives +20% effectiveness to primary stats.

    Keith was overwhelmed with joy.

    A secondary stat! They do exist! Keith clenched his fists. The Mind stat was a quantification of Keith¡¯s consciousness. Wondering what its value was, Keith opened his status panel.

    Mind: 9

    Keith was speechless by what he read. 9? 9!? Are you slimeballing me?

    His primary stats were all over 10,000, yet his secondary stat had an unbelievably low value of 9. The disparity was huge. Was his consciousness weak or something? No, Keith thought, Maybe secondary stats are quantified differently. Yes, that must be it.

    For a moment, Keith ignored the stat and looked at his new title, happy with its effect.

    A +20% effectiveness to Keith¡¯s primary stats immediately gave him a considerable boost to his overall combat power. It was now one of his strongest titles.

    Just then, a raging headache assaulted Keith''s brain.

    His face paled. Have I overdrafted my consciousness?

    Quickly drinking some water, Keith lay on the couch and rested his eyes.

    Without knowing it, he fell asleep.

    A few hours later, he awoke, feeling much better.

    Wanting to test his mind stat, Keith sat back down.

    Using Mana Vision, he beckoned a few motes of mana over, repeating the process until he acquired another headache. His efforts weren¡¯t futile, having gained a few points in the mind stat.

    Mind: 13

    As long as there¡¯s progress, there¡¯s hope, Keith smiled.

    This time, Keith chose to meditate.

    He found that it greatly assisted the recovery of his consciousness compared to sleeping. Keith was excited to see what the mind stat had to offer, so he put aside all his other tasks besides defending the Blockade and focused solely on training his consciousness.

    Like that, a week passed.

    Mind: 95

    Keith discovered that his consciousness was like an undeveloped muscle.

    If you hadn¡¯t controlled it before, it was weak and lacked endurance, but as you continued to flex it, it grew in strength. After a week of exercise, Keith could tell that his consciousness was far stronger than before. It was now a simple task for him to control a few hundred motes of mana.

    Currently, Keith sat cross-legged in his living room, prepared to do something he¡¯d never heard of anyone else doing. Taking a deep breath, Keith''s consciousness locked onto a few hundred motes of mana floating in front of him. Under his will, he forcefully controlled the unattuned mana and formed a Fireball array.

    Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead as he smiled.

    I did it! I created a spell using unattuned mana!

    After the excitement faded, Keith fell into thought. Even then, what¡¯s the point? Using my consciousness to control unattuned mana is far too taxing. Is there any other potential use?

    A minute later, Keith¡¯s face lit up with surprise.

    Wait, if I can control unattuned mana, does that mean I can do the same to someone else''s attuned mana? Can I use my consciousness to forcibly break down their spells?

    Keith¡¯s eyes brightened. I don¡¯t even need to go that far.

    With Keith¡¯s experience as an array master, he could simply disrupt the spell¡¯s formation instead of breaking it down. A few nudges in the right spot were all he needed to neutralize another person¡¯s spell, at least, in theory. He needed to give it an attempt before confirming for sure.

    After Keith saw he could control unattuned mana, he moved on to his next task.

    Keith locked onto a brown mote of mana floating above his head.

    Under the pull of his consciousness, it shuddered.

    The earth element mana had significantly more resistance compared to non-elemental mana. Unwilling to give up, Keith mobilized the full extent of his consciousness. Only then did it enter his body. At that moment, a notification popped up.

    Congratulations! You¡¯ve acquired a new skill: Earth Manipulation.

    (Universal, Skill) Earth Manipulation

    Description: Determines your ability to control earth element mana. Levels reduce the mana cost of earth-attribute skills and increase their effectiveness.

    Keith wanted to stand up and jump for joy, but he was too exhausted.

    He simply smiled.

    Since he could acquire Earth Manipulation, it meant he could get Water, Wind, and Fire Manipulation. Keith wondered how would the Elemental Dimension¡¯s natives feel if they heard Keith could acquire all their innate gifts. They¡¯d probably complain to the System about unfairness.

    As Keith meditated, he thought about whether there were other types of elemental manipulation skills. He knew there were lightning-attribute skills, for example. In that case, shouldn¡¯t there be a lightning manipulation skill?

    Unfortunately, Keith could only see earth, water, fire, and wind elemental mana in his surroundings. There were no other elements. Was his Mana Manipulation skill lacking, or did lightning element mana only exist in specific environments?

    Keith had heard of a zone filled with lightning, yet that was where Tyranus¡¯ home base was. No matter how much he wanted to acquire lightning manipulation, there was no way he¡¯d court death by sneaking over there.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 72

    Chapter 72

    By the time it was past midnight, Keith acquired the other three basic elemental manipulation skills.

    With all of them collected, he felt a profound sense of satisfaction.

    Best of all, his Mana Manipulation skill broke through the bottleneck that had been plaguing him recently and soared over level 700, settling at 785.

    Mana ruled over all the elements.

    It could convert into them, and in turn, they could convert back into it.

    It was fundamental.

    Keith currently had one method to convert mana into different elements ¨C through arrays. He didn¡¯t know if there were any other ways.

    For now, Keith set a small goal for himself: he wanted to form a Fire Core, Earth Core, Water Core, and Wind Core by using the Mana Core technique.

    As for his new manipulation skills, Keith would do the same thing he did when he leveled Mana Manipulation: control exercises. Leveling them to 500 would be easy. After that, it required a deeper understanding of their nature.

    Keith already had a decent grasp of fire, thanks to his research on the Fireball skill.

    While earth and water didn¡¯t seem overly difficult, wind might be a challenge.

    In school, Keith learned that wind naturally occurs in the world due to temperature differences in the air. However, the wind element was different. With mana added to the mix, it transformed wind into a lethal cutting force. That was the difference between naturally occurring wind and mana element wind.

    That was the plan for the future.

    For now, Keith went to bed, exhausted.

    When he awoke in the morning, his magic tablet received a message from the military regarding the Mana Core technique he supplied to them a while ago.

    Keith read through it, then again to make sure he wasn¡¯t reading it wrong.

    Slimeballs, Keith gasped.

    In the message, the military said they¡¯d thoroughly tested the Mana Core technique and confirmed its usefulness. In exchange for the technique, they awarded Keith Blockade Event points. There were so many he couldn¡¯t believe it. Based on how many points Keith gained from defending the Blockade daily, it would take him three months to match what the military gave him.

    I can buy a Skyship now! Keith thought delightedly.

    Pondering for a moment, he decided to give the military another surprise: his experiences regarding Mana Vision and how to acquire elemental manipulation skills.

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    Keith wasn¡¯t so selfish to keep that information to himself.

    It was even mutually beneficial to share it.

    If everyone in the military kept their discoveries a secret, then they wouldn¡¯t have developed as far as they would¡¯ve now. It was just like how Ska¡¯dur shared his Tremor Force Body Tempering skill. Without it, Keith would¡¯ve had several thousand fewer stats. There were countless other examples.

    Over the next few days, Keith put his other training ¨C like his tutoring sessions ¨C on the back burner and focused on leveling his new manipulation skills. At the same time, he placed an order for the Silverswift Skyship V2, the newest model. It was three times as expensive, but Keith thought it was worth it. He wanted the best.

    It had now been over a week since Keith unlocked the mind stat.

    In the morning, Keith woke up and prepped himself for today¡¯s Blockade defense.

    Leaving his house, he made his way to his position above the Blockade, humming a little tune.

    The battle soon started.

    As usual, Keith killed the high-priority targets before backing off to allow the others to level up. Hovering in the back, Keith kept an eye out for anyone who needed saving. However, after several months of fighting at the Blockade, everybody was strong enough to take care of themselves. It was rare for there to be casualties. Keith sighed in relief. Another good day.

    Just then, Keith sensed a familiar presence.

    Colonel Hadjar, the dwarf in command of the surrounding sections of the Blockade, hastily flew toward Keith, wearing a grim expression. Anxiety rising, Keith turned to the dwarf as the latter explained, ¡°Something terrible happened. Yesterday, Wrath slew Ruler Rammy and broke through the Elemental¡¯s barricade. Rulers Torg, Flynn, and Isabel led their troops in retreat. They arrived at their capital not long ago.¡±

    Keith was visibly alarmed that Torg, someone so powerful, had lost to Wrath.

    A thought suddenly occurred to him.

    The demons had two targets they could choose to attack ¨C either the Elemental¡¯s capital or the Blockade. Should they choose the capital, they¡¯d have to break through the Fourgleam array, the most powerful defensive array in the Grandsky Realm. Comparatively, the Blockade was a far easier target. The troops stationed there were spread out over hundreds of miles.

    If it were Keith, he¡¯d choose to attack the Blockade.

    The Elementals already had their hands full fending off a monster horde, so what if they added an army of demons to the mix? The outcome was clear to see.

    Indeed, Hadjar¡¯s following sentence confirmed Keith¡¯s guess, ¡°They¡¯re already fighting the Elemental¡¯s troops along the Blockade. Thankfully, the Elemental¡¯s leadership figured the demons were coming to them, so they pulled soldiers from other sections of the Blockade to reinforce the east.¡±

    Keith frowned. ¡°Let me guess¡­ they¡¯re asking us to reinforce the sections they abandoned?¡±

    ¡°Not only that,¡± Hadjar shook his head, ¡°They¡¯re requesting we help them fight off the demons as well.¡±

    ¡°It seems we have no choice. If the Elementals lose, the demons will target us next,¡± Keith sighed, feeling aggrieved by the situation. For the first time, he felt that the Elementals were useless. They confidently started a war with the demons and ended up losing.

    Hadjar knew Keith¡¯s background, as well as his personality. He said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to fight the demons. The higher-ups need you to head to Section B16 to clear up the monsters there. After that, Section B17, B18, and B19.¡±

    ¡°You want me to handle four sections? You guys really think highly of me,¡± Keith smiled bitterly. In normal times, he had no obligation to listen to the military¡¯s orders, but it was now an emergency. Keith knew the military could forcibly conscript civilians in times of war. Besides, with the position his father had, Keith didn¡¯t have a choice.

    Before Keith left, he asked Hadjar, ¡°What about the people powering my War Array?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll accompany you, of course,¡± Hadjar replied.

    After saying everything that needed to be said, Hadjar flew down to the Blockade¡¯s ramparts and informed the soldiers there of their new mission. A few minutes later, they followed Keith through a teleportation array and arrived near Section B16.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 73

    Chapter 73

    When Keith arrived on the other side, he found the teleportation hub building half-collapsed, with rubble everywhere. A few teleportation arrays were even broken. Through the gaps in the walls, Keith saw that monsters had breached the Blockade and were wreaking havoc amongst the infrastructure in the back.

    Outnumbered ten to one, the soldiers bearing the Solar Flare legion insignia struggled to maintain control. They were in a constant retreat.

    Seeing the situation was critical, Keith rose into the air and summoned the maximum number of weapons he could from both Arsenal of the Desert and Quickdraw, almost a hundred. The weapons coiled around Keith before shooting outward in all directions.

    BANG!

    A monster knocked back a Solar Flare legion captain and was about to finish the job when a sword cleaved through its neck, severing its head in one blow.

    In another location, seven monsters surrounded a soldier when a flash of light passed through, followed by a sonic boom. All seven monsters toppled to the ground, their bodies separated at the waist.

    All around, similar scenes repeated.

    Appearing like a deity descended from the System, Keith hovered in the air, eyes closed as he used Mana Vision paired with Mind Division and Enhancement to singlehandedly change the outcome of the battle. Of course, Keith was powered by a War Array.

    In less than a minute, Keith cleared out the monsters within a one-mile radius.

    The Solar Flare legion members in the vicinity glanced at Keith before spreading out to reinforce other areas.

    Keith was about to do the same when he felt his strength dropping.

    Oh no, he thought.

    The troops powering Keith¡¯s War Array couldn¡¯t keep up with his flight speed and were out of range. Trying to think of a solution, Keith turned around to see one of the officers following him pull out a Skyship from their inventory. Everyone powering Keith¡¯s War Array promptly boarded as the Skyship¡¯s thrusters activated at full power.

    I guess that works, Keith¡¯s eyelids twitched.

    With the problem solved, Keith sped off into the distance, a Skyship hot on his trail.

    Wherever he went, monsters fell by the hundreds.

    Unlike when he was guarding the sections protected by the Innate¡¯s army, Keith figured there was no need to hold back. He felt no burden slaying every monster in sight to hoard experience to himself. These Solar Flare legion members weren¡¯t his fellow citizens, so why care about them?

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    An hour later, Keith traversed across the entirety of Section B16.

    He had spent so much mana that he had to unseal eight Mana Cores, leaving him heartbroken. In the past two months, he had only stocked up on 102 of them. With three sections left to clear, there was no telling how much more mana he needed to spend.

    Entering Section B17, Keith saw a shocking sight.

    The Blockade had completely collapsed.

    Off in the distance, multiple mana barriers protected thousands of Solar Flare legion members, who had grouped up. Monsters in the tens of thousands surrounded them, attacking the barriers with wild abandon. Fire-attribute spells flew about causing numerous explosions.

    When Keith finally arrived, the mana barriers were in poor shape. Cracks covered their surface. Although Keith didn¡¯t care much about the elementals, he still didn¡¯t want to see them die to monsters. Especially if he could save them.

    Since the mana barriers couldn¡¯t last much longer, Keith multicast Meteor Cluster, a new divine grade skill he recently acquired. After that, he multicast Small Meteor and Meteor, his other two meteor skills.

    Keith spent over ten million mana in one go.

    It was like a scene from the apocalypse.

    Empowered by the War Array, the meteors he summoned were far larger than normal. Hundreds of flaming rocks the size of hills appeared in the sky, raining down from above, the air distorting in their wake.

    BOOM!

    Following a massive explosion, a cloud of dust, flame, and dirt covered the battlefield, reducing visibility to a minimum. Keith¡¯s experience bar skyrocketed, granting a level to him and his Robes of the Manaborne.

    Keith used Mana Vision to peer through the fallout.

    Controlling his conjured weapons, he finished off any monsters who happened to survive the explosion. Thankfully, all the monsters in this section had gathered together, and there wasn¡¯t much left. He could leave the rest to the Solar Flare members stationed at this location.

    Just as Keith was about to move on to the next section, a thought occurred to him.

    The authority of the Blockade Event setup by Yara didn¡¯t extend past the Innate¡¯s jurisdiction. That meant Keith wasn¡¯t gaining any points for killing monsters here.

    He wasn¡¯t willing to work for free.

    Looking at the countless piles of loot littering the ground, Keith willed his grimoire to take action.

    Collect!

    All the loot dispersed into motes of light that then flowed into Keith¡¯s grimoire.

    Hoarding all the loot gave a significant boost to his stats, Collection Value, and Collection Points. Keith took a glance and was delighted to see he could now afford his second clone.

    Satisfied, Keith moved on to the next section, shocked by what he saw.

    The Solare Flare legion members were routed, with any sense of unity gone in the wind.

    They were fleeing for their lives.

    As Keith flew forward at full speed, he watched monsters rip apart one soldier after another. Gritting his teeth, Keith spent a million mana to activate Freedom. Teleporting repeatedly, he instantly appeared above the surviving soldiers, multicasting everything in his arsenal to save who he could.

    Ten minutes later, the battle was over.

    Keith gasped for breath, feeling the strain on his body from consuming so much mana in such a short period. Knowing that there was one section left, he didn¡¯t tarry. Before leaving though, he collected all the loot on the ground, leaving behind the corpses of fallen soldiers.

    Keith eventually arrived at the last section he needed to reinforce.

    Glancing around, he saw only destruction.

    All the facilities and infrastructure behind the Blockade were in ruins.

    Keith grimaced at the sight of countless corpses belonging to the Solar Flare legion spread across the battlefield. He was too late. The monsters had already slain everyone here, leaving no survivors. Faintly, he could make out their figures in the distance. Their destination was the Elemental¡¯s capital.

    Keith closed his eyes.

    For a time, he floated there, mourning the fallen.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 74

    Chapter 74

    Far from Keith, on the easternmost edge of the Blockade, at the border of the Elemental¡¯s territory, a massive battle between demons and Elementals was underway.

    Although outnumbering the Elementals several times over, the demons struggled to break past the Elemental¡¯s frontline. Defending the Blockade for decades resulted in the Elementals being far better equipped and higher leveled than the demons on average.

    Additionally, the fusion skill of the Elementals proved to be the biggest obstacle.

    The titan forms the Elemental¡¯s four legions took on combined their mana pools, as well as greatly increased their defensive and offensive capabilities. They were machines of war, with each titan easily capable of taking on a hundred opponents without fear.

    For this battle, the Elementals relied heavily on their trademark fusion skill.

    As far as the eye could see, titans in the form of water, fire, earth, and wind rampaged across the battlefield. They were so powerful that even simple punching and kicking held enough force to wipe out the health of a level 800 demon. Their skills were even more deadly.

    Under the titan''s immense power, the demons scurried around like frightened rats.

    If not for the monster horde taking up half of the Elemental¡¯s army''s focus, they would¡¯ve steamrolled the demon army. Only Wrath, Greed, and Gluttony posed a significant threat, but they were busy attacking the Elemental¡¯s capital and keeping Torg, Flynn, and Isabel at bay.

    Powerful as the Elemental army may be, fighting on two fronts spread their forces thin.

    Slowly, they began retreating, preparing to abandon the Blockade.

    Just then, Ska¡¯dur appeared far above in the sky, his beard and hair fluttering in the wind.

    For a moment, he observed the battle below.

    The fact that the Elemental army, composed of just a third of their total forces, could put up a fight against the full might of the demon army made him solemn. Ska¡¯dur knew that the other two-thirds of the Elemental¡¯s forces were either defending the Blockade or currently holed up in the capital.

    He sighed, thinking that the Innate Nation still had a long way to go.

    The Elementals were the greatest obstacle if the Innate Nation wanted to become the Grandsky Realm¡¯s ruler. Until the Innate Nation became strong enough, they needed the Elementals to continue shielding them from the demons and Tyranus.

    To that end, Ska¡¯dur couldn¡¯t let the Elemental army below him fall, not to mention they paid the Innate Nation handsomely for reinforcements.

    Behind Ska¡¯dur, a Silverswift Skyship V2 came into view.

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    As his War Array powered up, Ska¡¯dur equipped his growth-type gauntlets and converted his physical attack power to the fire element.

    He took a boxing stance, breathed in, then punched.

    BANG!

    A sonic boom rang out as a flaming fist shot forward.

    Before it could travel far¡­.

    BANG!

    Dozens more followed in its wake.

    BANG!

    Hundreds.

    BANG!

    Thousands.

    In seconds, flaming fists covered the sky, raining down from above.

    They traveled faster than the speed of sound and hit the ground before the majority of the people fighting below could react.

    BOOM!

    Each fist released an explosive force far surpassing a level 1,000 Fireball.

    They were more like miniature meteors.

    Craters formed everywhere as Ska¡¯dur kept punching, his arms moving so fast they distorted the space around him.

    The growth-type gauntlets he acquired from the celestial grade dungeon had completely transformed Ska¡¯dur¡¯s fighting style. With them, each kick or punch could become a devastating spell. Best of all, instead of consuming mana, they took up an insignificant, miniscule portion of his stamina. After all, it was simply an ordinary punch. And when combined with his unique Life Energy, the results were glorious.

    Ska¡¯dur¡¯s Flaming Fist Barrage targeted the monster horde.

    Like a tireless machine, Ska¡¯dur kept up the Flaming Fist Barrage for several minutes.

    Under his assault, the monster''s numbers swiftly dwindled, giving Ska¡¯dur a few levels worth of experience. He was closing in on level 800.

    When he stopped, all that remained below was smoke, loot, and flames.

    Now that Ska¡¯dur took care of the monster horde, the Elemental army focused their full attention on the demons.

    Ska¡¯dur was about to unleash another Flaming Fist Barrage on the demons when one of their commanders flew up to stop him. The two promptly engaged in a duel, their attacks leaving black scars in the sky.

    As the battle went on, the Elemental army started reaching the limits of their stamina and mana. Maintaining their titan forms took a considerable toll. Even with Ska¡¯dur¡¯s arrival and the monster horde eliminated, the Elementals saw little hope of victory.

    Just as the Elemental leaders were about to give the order to retreat, a fleet of Silverswift Skyship appeared on the horizon. Standing at the bow of the frontmost ship stood Markus, his greatsword rested atop his shoulder.

    Markus raised his hand.

    At his signal, the fifty Silverswift Skyships, led by ten Silverswift Skyship V2s, turned sideways. The Mana Reactors powering the skyships rang out with a low hum. Hundreds of barrels poked out, aiming at the demon army far in the distance. As mana funneled into the various artillery, the air started vibrating.

    When the vibration reached a peak, Markus swiped downward.

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

    Consecutive blasts rang out, deafening the ears.

    The payload moved so fast that you could barely catch it with the naked eye.

    In moments, it landed within the demon army, creating giant explosions.

    Among the artillery, some fired concentrated blasts of mana, while others were elemental. No matter what type they were, they dealt massive damage to the demon army.

    In a daze, the Elements scanned around for the source of the attacks until they spotted the fleet flying in the sky from so far away. They were amazed, awed, and wary all the same.

    The sight of reinforcements coming to the Elemental''s aid, combined with the sudden losses, made the demon commanders order a retreat. Like fish returning to the sea, the demons disappeared into the surrounding landscape. Although the Elemental army could pursue them, they didn¡¯t for multiple reasons.

    Firstly, they were exhausted.

    Secondly, they still needed to head to the capitol to prevent Wrath from entering into the Elemental Dimension.

    Thirdly, fighting a cornered enemy was unwise, especially when both sides were nearly equal in combat power. The Elementals still needed to consider the monster horde that came every day.

    The leaders of the Elemental army had considered all of this.

    As such, they sent down orders for the army to take a short rest before heading to the capital. Then, the leaders turned their gazes upward, locking onto Ska¡¯dur and Markus, who had just met up.

 Collect the World - Book 2 Chapter 75

    Chapter 75

    The leader of this portion of the Elemental army was Radav Igneo, Torg¡¯s oldest son, and someone at level 1,000. He was also the ambassador who forged an alliance between the Innate Nation and the Elementals many months ago.

    Radav scrutinized the Innate¡¯s fleet.

    The flying contraptions sparked his interest. How had the Innates created them? Could they be mass-produced?

    Moments later, Radav looked at Ska¡¯dur, wariness surfacing in his gaze.

    He had heard of the duel between Ska¡¯dur and Torg.

    It was unbelievable to him, that in a short half year, Ska¡¯dur had grown to such an extent that Radav felt pressured by the man¡¯s presence. Didn¡¯t the report say the Innate Nation had been in the Grandsky Realm for less than two years? Were the Innates lying, or was this man called Ska¡¯dur that much of a freak?

    With thoughts like these, Radav called over a few of his strongest subordinates before flying up to meet Ska¡¯dur and Markus. He came to a halt a respectable distance away and gave a salute, ¡°Thank you for your assistance. While the demons here may have scattered, Wrath, Greed, and Gluttony are besieging our capital. We can¡¯t let them enter the Elemental Dimension.¡±

    Ska¡¯dur glanced at Markus, who said, ¡°My people can help, but let me make something clear: fighting Wrath, Greed, or Gluttony is beyond our means.¡±

    Radav nodded understandingly, ¡°Of course. Soldiers against soldiers, and generals against generals. Focus on the demon army and leave Wrath, Greed, and Gluttony to our side.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Markus affirmed.

    With that said, the tension between the two sides eased, and they began discussing how to proceed.

    An hour later, Radav¡¯s troops recovered some of their stamina and set off for the Elemental¡¯s capital, creating a grand sight. Over a million soldiers rode their flying mounts in formation, with the Innate¡¯s Silverswift Skyship fleet covering their flank.

    After several hours of travel, the Elemental¡¯s magnificent Fourgleam barrier appeared on the horizon. It was currently surrounded by a several million-strong demon army, who launched endless spells at the construct to wear it down. They had been attacking for almost a day, yet the Fourgleam barrier remained largely intact.

    From within, the Elemental army released long-ranged skills at the demon army.

    Whenever their attacks passed through the Fourgleam barrier, they were enhanced by the arrays making up its structure, inflicting casualties among the demons.

    Countless demon corpses littered the battlefield.

    Hovering in the sky were Wrath, Greed, and Gluttony.

    From time to time, Wrath gave in to his anger and attacked the Fourgleam barrier with his physical body, then retreated when his rage cooled.

    Just then, Gluttony sensed a commotion in the rear.

    He turned to find another Elemental army swiftly coming into view, followed by flying ships. Expression grim, he spoke to his companions, ¡°Bad news. Looks like the fodder we sent to attack the Blockade lost.¡±

    ¡°A bunch of weaklings,¡± Wrath snarled.

    Greed and Gluttony glanced at each other before Greed said, ¡°Wrath, we should retreat. There¡¯s no chance of breaking through the Fourgleam barrier now.¡±

    ¡°NO!¡± Wrath bellowed.

    Struggling to remain calm, he growled, ¡°We¡¯re so close! I can feel it!¡±

    Greed tried to reason with Wrath. ¡°You said it yourself. Besides us three, everyone under us is useless. As strong as you are, you can¡¯t stop an army. You¡¯ll eventually run out of stamina and die.¡±

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    Wrath turned to Greed with bloodshot eyes.

    Although Greed knew the System prevented Wrath from attacking other sins, Greed shuddered under Wrath¡¯s gaze, apprehensive.

    Right as Wrath was about to agree to leave, Torg¡¯s voice echoed out from within the Fourgleam barrier, ¡°Haha, are you afraid Wrath? Thinking of running away? I didn¡¯t expect you to be a coward!¡±

    ¡°TORG!¡± Wrath bellowed, his anger distorting the air around him.

    ¡°Slimeballs,¡± Greed cursed, knowing that Wrath had just lost his mind.

    To make matters worse, Torg emerged from the Fourgleam barrier and curled his finger at Wrath.

    ¡°GAH!¡± Wrath went berserk.

    He charged at Torg, only for Torg to retreat behind the Fourgleam barrier¡¯s protection.

    Wrath repeatedly punched the barrier, causing it to shudder. Each of his attacks was enough to annihilate a level 900-plus monster. Even so, the barrier proved its worth as it blocked each of his blows with ease. The sight further enraged Wrath.

    ¡°Is that the best you can do?¡± Torg laughed exaggeratedly.

    As Wrath tried to break through, Torg approached the barrier until he was on the verge of passing through. Seeing Torg so close yet so far away, Wrath¡¯s eyes turned completely bloodshot.

    Greed shouted at Wrath, aggrieved, ¡°You fool! He¡¯s clearly taunting you!¡±

    By now, it was too late for the demon army to make a clean retreat.

    The arriving Elemental forces landed not far from the demon army¡¯s flank and got into formation. As both sides prepared to engage, nobody paid attention to the Skyship fleet as they readied their artillery, except for Radav.

    Watching closely, he sensed a vast surge of mana erupt from within each Silverswift Skyship. Radav was aghast. How was that possible? Unable to wrap his mind around it, he observed as arrays lit up all over the Skyships.

    Before he could blink, the artillery fired.

    BOOM!

    Hundreds of sonic booms rang out.

    Radav could just barely catch sight of the payload traveling through the air.

    Snapping his head to the side, he saw it land amongst the demon army, wiping out the lives of thousands upon contact. Pupils shrinking, Radav sucked in a breath.

    The barrage of artillery signaled the start of the battle.

    As the demon and Elemental forces clashed head-on, the artillery never stopped.

    Greed and Gluttony quickly noticed the firepower the Silverswift Skyships possessed.

    Signaling to their officers, they sent down commands.

    Soon, a group of demons detached from the main army and flew up to meet the Skyships. Numbering in the hundreds of thousands, they swarmed the Skyships like a horde of bees finding the most fragrant of flowers.

    Although the Skyships were fearsome, they were incredibly delicate. A single damaged array could shut the whole thing down. Knowing this, the Innate army disembarked from the Skyships and flew out to meet the demons in a frontal clash.

    Markus and Ska¡¯dur found opponents of similar caliber.

    Frod, Major General Alyssia, and others fought as well.

    From afar, Greed and Gluttony¡¯s expressions soured.

    They watched as an endless stream of soldiers flew out from the Skyships.

    Gluttony¡¯s voice rumbled, ¡°How can those ships hold so many troops?¡±

    ¡°Pocket Dimensions!¡± Greed answered.

    His guess was spot on.

    Inside the holding bay of each Skyship were several portals leading to Pocket Dimensions, within which stood the Innate¡¯s army.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Gluttony spat. ¡°We¡¯re vastly outnumbered, and Wrath has lost his mind.¡±

    Thinking briefly, Greed turned to Wrath and shouted, ¡°Wrath, look at those ships! They¡¯re wiping out our people!¡±

    Fortunately, Wrath heard Greed and looked aside, where he found the demons losing everywhere he looked. Seeing so many lifeless bodies on the ground renewed his dwindling rage. Ignoring Torg, he directed his attention toward the Skyships.

    Locking onto a Skyship, he channeled all his emotions into a punch, empowering it beyond belief. The force contained within was incredibly concentrated. It didn¡¯t disperse at all as it traveled through the air, leaving black cracks in its wake.

    The attack disintegrated any demons or Innate soldiers in the way like they were made out of paper. In seconds, an invisible force struck a Skyship, cleaving it in two. Arrays fizzled with sparks as they broke down, engulfing the Skyship in flames.

    Just as Wrath was about to release another punch, flaming chains wrapped around his limbs, locking him in place.

    ¡°TORG!¡± Wrath roared, veins bulging across his body as he ripped apart the chains binding him.

    Now that the battle between the different armies was underway, Torg emerged from the Fourgleam barrier, having already activated Inferno Blaze Embodiment. Compared to when he invaded the Sin Dimension, the shade of liquid fire that made up his body took on a deeper color, appearing like magma from some hellscape.

    Torg said nothing as he pointed forward, sending a colossal meteor the size of a mansion hurtling toward Wrath.

    BANG!

    Wrath burst through the meteor unphased.

    He appeared before Torg in one step and punched through the latter¡¯s chest.

    Months ago, Torg would have taken some damage from that attack, yet having fought Wrath numerous times, he found new usages of his Inferno Blaze Embodiment form.

    For example, if Torg dispersed his body before Wrath¡¯s punch landed, he¡¯d take not a single point of damage. Getting used to an intangible body took time, but once he mastered it, Wrath was little more than a child fighting against an adult.

    Unfortunately, Rammy, having doped herself for too long, made a critical mistake on the battlefield and perished, thus forcing the Elementals to retreat.

    Greed and Gluttony knew Wrath was no longer a match for Torg, so they flew forward ready to reinforce him when Isabel and Flynn emerged from the Fourgleam barrier.

    The two sides clashed repeatedly until Greed and Gluttony signaled to each other with their eyes. Unlike Wrath, they were concerned for their lives and knew victory was not on their side. Having decided on the best course of action, Greed¡¯s voice echoed throughout the battlefield, ¡°Retreat!¡±