《Inexorable Immortal [Slow Burn Immortal Sculptor/Golemancer LitRPG]》 1.01 - Opening His Eyes |Ding! You have entered a special mana-rich area!| |Ding! Death State has ended!| |Ding! Body has reformed!| |Ding! Effective Age has reset!| |Ding! Your Innate Skill [True Immortal¡¯s Ambient Mana Absorption (I-60)] has activated!| |Ding! Your Innate Skill [True Immortal¡¯s Regeneration (I-60)] has activated!| |Ding! Your Innate Skill [True Immortal¡¯s Adaptation (I-60)] has activated!| ¡®It¡¯s cold¡­¡¯ It was the first thing that he noticed¡ªaside from the notifications, of course. But the cold here wasn¡¯t anything he¡¯d ever felt before. It wasn¡¯t like the winter chill back home. Nor was it the cold from one of his friend¡¯s freezing potions. No, this was something else entirely. ¡®Why is it so¡ªAHHHHHHHHHHH¡¯ In reflex, he tried to open his mouth and scream out loud to match his thoughts. But no sound came out. He flailed wildly, trying, and trying, and trying, to grab ahold of something¡ªanything, but there was nothing here. Then he noticed it¡ªor rather, the absence of it. There was no air here. And worse? There was no gravity. Elias persistently struggled against the unbearable emptiness, his limbs thrashed about in all directions, but no matter how hard he fought, it was useless. The cold sank into his very bones, freezing his newly formed body, reaching deeper and freezing his thoughts along with it. His healing made things worse. Forcing him feel the destruction and reconstruction of his cells¡ªprolonging his suffering under the unforgiving laws of the void. Inevitably, he ceased his futile struggles and curled himself up into a ball, trying his best to manage the pain. He didn¡¯t know how long it lasted exactly. All he could think about was the pain¡ªthe pain of every cell in his body caught in a constant cycle of freezing to death and forceful healing. The repeated damage to his brain from the lack of oxygen, not to mention the constant suffocation. It was torture. At some point, he¡¯d even tried to open his eyes, but when he did, he found that they didn¡¯t work. He could feel them continually swelling and popping, then healing, over and over again. It was unending. The pain was excruciating, to say the least, and soul-shattering, to say the most. ¡®¡­No, it¡¯s more than that¡­ wait¡­ I can think?!¡¯ Unbeknownst to him, the pain had somehow¡­ lessened. It wasn¡¯t gone, no; it was still there, just dulled. |Ding! You have adapted!| |Ding! Temporary buff [Stellar Endurance I] gained!| ¡®Ah! That¡¯s why¡­¡¯ He didn¡¯t really know how to feel about it. On one hand, he was glad that he was now able to think. On the other, he wished that the skill would have just gotten rid of the pain completely. ¡®Whatever.¡¯ He thought. And now, with the space to actually think, he endeavored to figure out what happened. To find out how he ended up in the void of space, of all places. |Ding! You have activated your Innate Skill [True Immortal¡¯s Perfect Memory (I-60)] Memories flashed rapidly in his mind. From the first moment that he¡¯d awakened to the moment just before he ¡®died¡¯. ¡®No. NO! NO!!!¡¯ He attempted to scream again, to rage against what he¡¯d seen in his mind, but frustration and helplessness were the only thing that formed. ¡®WHY?! Why am I alive when everyone is¡­ is FUCKING DEAD?!!!¡¯ He asked, and yet, the only thing he heard was the rapid beating of his heart. His memories kept on replaying in his mind. He saw his mother practicing magic when she thought no one was watching. His father carefully shaping and sculpting a massive block of Water-aspect obsidian. His best friend Ben, hammering away at a piece of red-hot steel. And Anna¡­ ¡®My love¡­¡¯ His memories shifted to show all he had of Anna. From the time when they were still young and just friends, to the time they finally got together a few years into their apprenticeships. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. He remembered her smile, the way her hair flowed, her green eyes that he could just get lost in, the dimples that hinted at her love for mischief. But most of all, he remembered the look she gave him. THE look. It never failed to make his heart skip a beat. But now, his memory of her was forever tainted. She¡¯d been with him on that fateful day when it all went wrong. She was watching him sculpt after she had just finished tending to her garden. When he suddenly received those notifications. |Ding! WARNING! Your Innate skill [True Immortal¡¯s Concealment (I-60)] has detected an Omni-directional Scrying Skill scanning attempt!| |Ding! Scanning skill determined to be Innate skill [Anathema¡¯s Prying Eyes (VI-5521)]| |Ding! WARNING! Scanning attempt has focused on YOU!| |Ding! WARNING! ALL DEFENSES HAVE BEEN PIERCED!| At the time, he immediately picked Anna up, headed for his parents¡¯ house, and told them about what happened. He thought he had had enough time to fetch Ben too¡­ but he was wrong. ¡®It had only been a few minutes¡­¡¯ He lamented. He remembered the moment when Ben came out of his smithy to greet him, only to look up into the sky. A truly enormous tear in space had come into being. There was no sound, no warning. With not even enough time to process the impossibility of what had happened, an equally gigantic warship emerged from its depths. It was majestic. Completely covered in runes that he couldn¡¯t even begin to understand. The ones that he did were beautifully arranged in the most intricate and perfect way he could imagine¡ªall for the purpose of annihilation. Desperation gripped him as he dashed madly toward Anna. But just when he neared and the house was in sight, he tripped. The ground had betrayed him. It shifted beneath his feet, sending him sprawling across the ground. Everything around him trembled violently. It was as if the whole world was breaking apart. He hurriedly picked himself up off the ground¡ªnot even noticing the small scrape on his knee that refused to heal. She was all he could think about. Panic and adrenaline drove him as he bolted for the door. His face brightened at the sight of the door opening on its own. Anna had walked out with his parents close behind. He pushed himself harder, harder than he¡¯d ever pushed. But it wasn¡¯t enough. The ground rapidly split in between them. A fracture in the earth itself formed in the blink of an eye. ¡®I can make it!¡¯ He¡¯d thought as he eyeballed the expanding fissure. But when he took a few steps back in preparation to leap across the gap. The world finally broke. He watched as the love of his life, along with the people who raised him, were crushed by the immense force of the very earth they stood on, as it splintered and rocketed up into the void of space. Inertia reared its ugly head and transformed their bodies into an insult to them, and to life itself, leaving only a mere smear on the earth that had once nourished them. Not long after that, the memory replay stopped. His mind was blank and his body frozen. Elias watched the calamity unfold in his mind¡¯s eye. He didn¡¯t know what to feel. Should he be upset? Probably. Cry? Probably. Angry? ¡®Definitely.¡¯ He thought, as fury threatened to overwhelm him. But rationality won out in the end. After all, the unforgiving feeling of excruciating pain from every part of his body was a constant reminder of where he was. |Ding! You have adapted!| |Ding! Temporary buff [Stellar Endurance II] gained!| ¡®Just in time.¡¯ The pain eased a little more, fading into an intense itch all across his aching body, fought off by the familiar warmth of his regeneration. Thankfully, it was enough. He could finally feel his eyes stop its cycle of healing and popping. He forced his eyes open and didn¡¯t see the familiar sight of the pitch-black nothingness of space dotted by distant stars. No, instead, he saw a glowing and colorful sight. Everywhere he looked was a mishmash of mostly red and pink hues, with a hint of blue and green thrown in. It all blended into one awe-inspiring colorful mist, lit up by nearby stars. And the stars themselves were mesmerizing on their ow¡ª |Ding! You have witnessed the miracle of stellar formation!| |Ding! You have received the temporary buff [Glimpse into Creation]| ¡®Incredible¡­¡¯ He thought as he looked on, astonished at what he was seeing. There was an uncountable number of stars as far as his eyes could see. Several of them were massive to the point that even though he couldn¡¯t feel the heat from any of them, they were still at least bigger than the moon on his home planet. Then there were the younger ones. Smaller, yes, but no less captivating. Each one was pulling in and absorbing the gases that surrounded them, forming glowing tendrils of light. Some of the stronger ones even formed colorful, breathtaking discs around them that made them look much bigger than they actually were. Magic was something that he grew up with. It was a constant thing for practically everyone in the universe. But this? ¡®This is true magic.¡¯ Time passed again. Elias didn¡¯t know exactly how long he drifted through the nebula. He was too immersed in the experience, in the spectacle, in the miracle of creation itself happening in front of his eyes. Whole clusters of stars formed from mere specks of cosmic dust into what could only be called seeds. They were not just mere balls of fire and radiation that would burn and destroy everything they came across; these were primordial vessels of creation. And in time, these vessels will sprout and bloom. Drifting apart from each other and spreading across the cosmos, eventually gathering cosmic dust of their own, forming planets around them¡ªtheir own seeds. Ones that will one day give birth to life. ¡®This¡­ is creation.¡¯ |Ding! You have attained enlightenment on the [Law of Creation]| |Ding! You have comprehended a Shard of the [Law of Creation]| The pair of notifications woke him up from his blissful stupor. But with it came pain that was much worse than what he¡¯d felt before. |Ding! WARNING! Your Existence is insufficient to contain a Law Shard!| |Ding! WARNING! Your Soul is in danger of annihilation!| |Ding! WARNING! Shutting down all functions except Innate Skills [True Immortal¡¯s Ambient Mana Absorption (I-60)], [True Immortal¡¯s Regeneration (I-60)], and [True Immortal¡¯s Adaptation (I-60)]| |Ding! WARNING! You are now entering a Death State!| ¡®Shi¡ª¡¯ 1.02 - But where do I even start? |Ding! You have adapted!| |Ding! Temporary buff [Soul Fortification I] gained| His mind still foggy, Elias woke up to the familiar dings of the system. This time, though, something felt... off. The mesmerizing and colorful mist of the nebula he was in was still there, albeit much duller than when he used his eyes to see¡ªbut so was his body. ¡®Uhhhh¡­ what?¡¯ He blanked for a good while, simply staring at his drifting, lifelessly frozen body. When eventually, he noticed several faint blue strands stretching out from his body, reaching in his direction. Bringing his hands up to his face, he found that he could see the colorful mist through them. Not only that, his hands and arms had lines that seemed to separate sections of his body from each other, with each blue string connected to each segment. He didn¡¯t really know what to make of it, so he decided to do some experiments. He swung them around, putting them in front of different stars in the distance. All that confirmed was that, yes, his hands were indeed translucent. Next, he clapped them together¡ªa bad idea. ¡®GAH!¡¯ He inwardly yelped from the pain. His divided and translucent body parts had, quite literally, come apart at the seams. The shock of it was unlike anything he¡¯d felt, even when his physical body was in that excruciating cycle. It reached deeper¡ªmuch deeper than before. It wasn¡¯t just the feeling of being torn apart. He could feel the way it pulled at him¡ªat his very soul. The agonizing sensation that threatened to knock him out again was akin to the forceful pull of gravity, dialed up a millionfold. It felt like he was standing at the edge of a black hole that harmed his very essence. Erasing him piece by piece. The only solace he could feel was from the fact that he knew that he wouldn¡¯t die. The system itself had declared it. An inordinate amount of time passed with his body suspended in torment, and Elias began to feel ¡­ odd. He watched as the scattered pieces of his body slowly came together. Blue tendrils¡ªlikely the manifestation of his regeneration skill¡ªwere actively stitching him up. With every pass of the tendrils, the pain he was experiencing lessened in that area. That piece would then move closer to the part it was attached to and reconnect. It would send a soothing wave of¡­ comfort through his body every time. It wasn¡¯t the same as the warmth from his physical body healing; it was something deeper¡ªa feeling of home, of safety, of a hug. It made him feel complete. It reminded him of when he used to lie down on the enchanted sofa in his parents¡¯ house. A memory now tarnished by¡ª ¡®Stop.¡¯ He thought as he released a calming breath. ¡®Huh? How am I breathing?¡¯ He tried breathing again and was surprised to feel air! ¡®No, that¡¯s not air, that¡¯s¡ª¡¯ He breathed in the ¡®air¡¯ a few more times, closely using what senses he had as a soul to figure out what it was. ¡®It¡¯s mana? But there¡¯s something more in there¡­¡¯ He looked at it closer and found that it was his [Shard of Creation] that was reacting and helping him absorb the particles here. ¡®Yes, the mana here carries bits and pieces of the law of creation!¡¯ To understand more about his situation, he brought up his full status screen.
Elias Stone (I) [DEAD (Detached Soul)] Level: 60 Race: Human (UC) (+5 Free SP) Effective Age: 0 Laws Classes
Stats Substats
Innate Trait o You are immortal. Innate Skills o (You regenerate from all damage.) o (You absorb the surrounding mana.) o (You will never forget.) o (You will never falter.) o (You conceal yourself from prying eyes.) o (You leave your mark on items.) o (You will adapt.) o (You will feel for others.) o (You will be called upon.)
Class Skills (Journeyman Sculptor) Stolen story; please report. Class Skills (Apprentice Enchanter)
General Skills
¡®Detached soul¡­ That makes sense, I guess?¡¯ He thought as he focused in on the state his body and soul were in. His body drifted through the mists of creation while his soul was being pulled along for the ride¡ªabsorbing bits and pieces of the law all along the way. ¡®This is odd.¡¯ He finally concluded after a bit of time, just drifting through space. He¡¯d exhausted just about everything he could do in his state¡ªwhich wasn¡¯t much in the first place. Tracing the fissures, done. Trying to force two soul parts closer together, done¡­ and found to be useless since he could feel them repel each other the moment he let off on the pressure. ¡®Ah!¡¯ Then it hit him that he hadn¡¯t actually checked his new law out. He hurried to bring it up from his status screen. Law of Creation (Shard) From the chaos of potential, a fragment coalesces. The once-indistinct whispers become sharper, more purposeful. -You can now touch the edges of creation, though what you make is crude and incomplete¡ªa shard of what might one day be whole- The first thing that stood out to him was the stage of his comprehension¡ªshard. From everything he¡¯d learned from school and from his parents¡¯ lessons, a living being could only successfully contain a law shard once they entered the second tier. ¡®Guess that¡¯s why my soul literally broke apart¡­¡¯ He thought as a rueful smile tugged at his ghostly lips. As a tier one being, he was only supposed to, at most, be able to sense laws and condense a fragment of his choosing. A fragment that would be nothing but a glorified law detector. But for him, the law of creation at the shard stage was probably the best fit. He even almost thought that maybe everything that happened wasn¡¯t all bad. Of course, then he¡¯d remember the deep red stains¡ªand a deep hatred for whoever owned that warship would bubble up within him. The thing that hurt the most, though, was there weren¡¯t any distinct markings on that ship. It was a featureless, pitch-black monstrosity for all he knew. It came one moment and left complete devastation in the next. ¡®How am I supposed to even find them?¡¯ He thought, as he looked around and felt utterly lost. Revenge was something that was already set in stone for him. It wasn¡¯t just what he wanted to do; it wasn''t even something he needed to do; it was something he had to do. And he would not know peace until he did it. For a time, he just stared blankly into the shifting colors of the mist. The sight of the stars and planetesimals forming freely in this cosmic cradle of creation was oddly¡­ soothing to him. Eventually, his mind cleared up enough for him to come to a conclusion. ¡®I will find them, and I will make them pay.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know exactly how much time passed as he drifted through space, but what he did know was that it was definitely taking a much longer time for his innate adaptation skill to push his buff to the next stage. If he estimated that only hours passed between his two physical buffs, then this was definitely taking weeks. It made sense, of course. The soul was nothing like the body in its complexity, and it was usually much harder to heal the wounds to a being¡¯s soul. He took a glance over the still visible fissures in his soul-body and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle in wonder. ¡®Those soul mages would probably pay me in the scale of multiple mineral planets just for a chance to see something like this.¡¯ Mages in general were a curious bunch, but with souls being their main focus of research and expertise, soul mages tended to either pay anyone willing to have their souls studied or resort to more extreme actions. Of course, only the truly desperate and degenerate mages ever resorted to extremes. After all, getting soul wounds healed was something that usually cost whole countries¡¯ worth of wealth. ¡®That¡¯s one way to earn some emergency money, I guess.¡¯ He thought as he filed that idea away for later. Just then¡ª |Ding! You have adapted!| |Ding! Temporary buff [Soul Fortification II] gained| Something deep inside him clicked, and he watched as the separated parts of his soul-body move toward each other at a speed much faster than just a moment ago. The blue tendrils that effortlessly weaved through his soul worked overtime with a renewed vigor and stitched his soul up in record time. He watched as every piece of him drew ever closer together¡ªmaking him more complete. Finally, as the last and biggest fissure closed¡ªconnecting his torso to the lower part of his body¡ªhe felt relief the likes of which he¡¯d never felt before. And for the first time in a while, he felt at peace. He felt that maybe, just maybe, he didn¡¯t actually need to hunt down whoever destroyed his home. ¡®No.¡¯ He thought with a cold yet peaceful smile on his face. ¡®They will pay.¡¯ His smile grew wider and more intense. ¡®No matter how long it takes.¡¯ He imagined the ways that he¡¯d get his revenge and, for a long, long while, he reveled in the feeling of contentment that he got from the images in his mind. But it wasn¡¯t enough. Only when he held the hearts of his enemies in his hands and personally crushed them into thousands of unrecognizable pieces would he be satisfied. Slowly, as the feeling of peace and relief from his soul reforming faded, frustration started to build up within him again. Fortunately for him, his thoughts were interrupted by a pull. He could feel a soft yet firm pull act on his soul, and it came from his physical body. ¡®Finally.¡¯ He thought as he neared the time that he would be complete once again. He spread out his arms and brought his body into a hug. And as if it snapped into place, his soul just popped right in. It was as though he was as good as new. Like nothing major had happened. Unfortunately for him, once the process concluded, a new and confusing pain greeted him. ¡®GAAHHHH!¡¯ The front of his body, facing the star, felt like it was burning to the point that it was as if it was melting off of him. Not to mention the blinding light that pierced his already closed eyes. And if he focused enough, he could feel the cosmic dust around the star shooting at him, making him feel a bit of pressure, resistance, and the pain of being dragged through sand. On the other hand, the other side of his body felt the full brunt of the familiar pain of space¡¯s unforgiving cold. All of this compounded upon one another with the addition of his regeneration. Which, at the moment, he felt was more of a curse than a boon. The opposing forces were destroying his body much faster than before, when all he had to worry about was the pain from freezing. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t have to suffer much longer. |Ding! You have adapted!| |Ding! Temporary buff [Stellar Endurance III] gained!| ¡®MOTHERFUCKER!¡¯ He screamed inwardly as most of the pain faded away from him almost instantly. The only thing left now was the pain on the border of the two extremes, which felt like a knife was constantly slicing away at his flesh. ¡®Can¡¯t I just get a moment free of pain in this godforsaken place?¡¯ He tiredly asked to no one in particular. He tried to open his eyes, yet all he could see was the blinding light of the star that was gradually consuming his field of view. ¡®That¡¯s worrying.¡¯ He thought. But there wasn¡¯t anything he could really do. The heat was intensifying, but he was completely helpless in this situation. He couldn¡¯t exactly move as he willed i¡ª Then it hit him. His law of creation was at the shard stage! ¡®Crap. Okay, okay. How do I do this?¡¯ He thought as he excitedly tried to feel the surrounding creation mana. It was, of course, endless. ¡®This might actually work!¡¯ He activated his memory skill and tried to remember all he learned about basic physics. And as he shifted from memory to memory, he determined that something like a propulsion device of some sort would be his best bet. ¡®But where do I even start?¡¯ 1.03 - Wrong place Turns out, he couldn¡¯t really make anything overly complicated. Even things with a decently sharp edge were out of his range of capability. ¡®So much for infinite creation mana.¡¯ He sighed and gave up on making anything with even a smidge of complexity. Cheating with his [Material Shaping] skill was an option, but he¡¯d tried it with his metal ¡°sculptures¡± before and found it to be¡­ lacking. Instead, he settled for something a bit more basic. A cylinder, or as people liked to call it, a cannon. He activated his [Design] skill and made plans for what he would make. [Design (R)] -Level 4- -Before the chisel meets the stone, the masterpiece begins in the mind. Through careful planning and precise vision, you craft the blueprint of perfection, shaping beauty before it takes form- It was probably one of his most useful class skills as a sculptor. And with it now at (Rare), it unlocked a suggestion feature of what things he might have missed in the process. Like now. Suggestion: -Consider creating a sealed sphere at one end of the cannon with a weak point that leads to the rest of the cannon- It also had the side effect of making him feel stupid at times. Perhaps because it was still at a low level and rarity, the suggestions never really had any explanations with them. He had to find out why they worked himself. And so, Elias gathered the surrounding creation mana and used his will to condense and shape it. He spread his will outward and grabbed at all the creation mana he could reach¡ªwhich was more than he would ever need, really. It was everywhere, abundant beyond reason¡ªbut control was the real challenge. Fortunately, his shaping skill gave him an edge. Creation was willful. It did not flow like water or bend like metal under a hammer. It pulsed, erratic and volatile, demanding purpose before it would solidify. He tightened his focus, forcing the chaos into structure, weaving the energy into something real. First, of course, came the material. Any type of alloy or magically infused metal was definitely out of the question, so he had to settle for pure elements. For this, tungsten came to mind. According to his [Material Knowledge] skill, it had the best chance of not only surviving the blast of whatever he wanted to detonate inside of it, but also the ever-increasing heat of the star that he was closing in on. Even though this was a pretty simple shape, relying on only his pitiful second stage law wasn¡¯t nearly enough. But with a bit of help from his shaping skill, he managed to achieve what he wanted in the end¡­ barely. He eyed his first cosmic creation with a foolish grin on his face. Ecstatic at the fact of having made it out of nothing but mana. ¡®Guess I can finally call myself a real seeker, huh?¡¯ He sighed yet again as he thought of what had had to happen for him to get here. Seekers were what beings were called when they first awaken and connect to the system. Technically speaking, he¡¯d been a seeker since he awakened twenty-two years ago when he was thirteen. ¡®Too bad no one really cares about you until you comprehend a shard of a law.¡¯ He thought, then shook his head. ¡®Focus.¡¯ He brought his attention back to the massive bulb shaped cannon in front of him. It was complete, with a few bumps here and there, but the general shape was there at the very least. Now, his problem was what he could use as propulsion. With all his limitations to consider, the only thing he could think of was a mix of hydrogen and oxygen. He thought it would be fairly simple to constantly create them both inside the cannon and everything would work out. He was wrong. The gases did burn up and provide some propulsion as he planned, but it was underwhelmingly negligible. They started ionizing and burning up the moment they came into being. Then, it hit him like a ton of bricks. ¡®The sphere¡­¡¯ With a quick palm to his face and a slap for good measure, he turned his attention to the sealed sphere. ¡®It was so fucking obvious¡­¡¯ Elias took a deep breath and put his irritation to the side. He stretched his will into the sealed sphere and reached toward the center. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. There, he began creating the gases without a second thought and didn¡¯t stop even when it became full. His goal was to make this into a pressurized canister that he would then ignite. ¡®Which would make the weak point rupture and direct all that gods¡¯ damned energy in one direction¡­ I feel really stupid right now.¡¯ He inwardly grumbled, as he continued on gathering and condensing the creation mana into the two gases. It was exciting at first¡ªthe novel feeling of creating something yourself¡ªbut as time passed, the task became a bit tedious. He didn¡¯t know how long it would take to fill the sphere to the brim and it made him crave for something else to do. Maybe even just something to listen to would have satisfied him. ¡®Hell, just knowing the time would be amazing¡­¡¯ Unfortunately for him, things didn¡¯t always work out in people¡¯s favor. And as if to prove that fact even more, a flash of light suddenly blinded him. |Ding! You are now entering into a death state!| |Ding! Effective age has reset!| |Ding! Death state has ended!| He regained consciousness almost immediately after ¡®dying¡¯ and immediately looked around to assess the situation. His bulb cannon was gone, and the surrounding mist of creation was visibly thinning. ¡°You think you can hide here all your life and not face any consequences?!¡± Elias suddenly heard a deep and angry shout echo from somewhere in the distance. He turned his head and saw a truly gigantic creature appear where he just was and noticed something else¡ªthe star wasn¡¯t there anymore. In its place was a needle made completely of flames the same size as the star. ¡®That¡¯s an elemental!¡¯ He thought as the needle burned brighter and brighter, incinerating his every cell even with his adaptations and his growing distance from it. ¡°I have done nothing to warrant being hunted down like this!¡± a voice that carried a hint of heat drifted toward him, which he could only assume came from the elemental. ¡°Nothing? NOTHING?!¡± the other equally massive creature roared, disbelief and fury dripping from every word. Elias finally turned his attention toward it and saw it in its full majesty. It was a bird, no, a phoenix. A living embodiment of the law of fire, its plumage blazed like an explosion caught mid-detonation. Its feathers were a combination of deep crimsons that melted into golds. Each feather seemed alive with different flames on each of them. Its eyes burned with a cold intensity as it stared at the burning needle. With a flourish, the phoenix¡¯s flames intensified in response to the needle¡ªcompletely suppressing its burning heat with something else. The heat it gave off wasn¡¯t just destructive like the needle''s, it was something much more. He could feel a faintly familiar aura coming from it. An aura that could only be gained from having died and being reborn multiple times. It was something that his own aura was vaguely developing, albeit a much more muted version. The phoenix let out a low grumble as he coldly said. ¡°You broke the pact of non-aggression between our races.¡± ¡°That was self-defense!¡± ¡°Call it what you want.¡± The phoenix¡¯s eyes and plumage paused as they grew colder with each second. ¡°But the fact is, they died, and YOU alone survived.¡± ¡°They wanted to absorb my flames! Did you want me to just roll over and die for them¡­?¡± The elemental¡¯s words grew quieter and quieter as it came to a sudden realization. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re they¡¯re father, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°¡­¡± A silence came upon them for a time before the elemental dimmed its flames and seemingly surrendered. ¡°The council won¡¯t let you get away with this.¡± It said in one last act of defiance. To this, the phoenix only flared its flames in response and flew closer. ¡°They already have.¡± He said as he engulfed the needle in its wings and flames. A bright flash followed as the phoenix¡¯s flames illuminated and burned the surroundings. It intensified so much that Elias died one more time before regenerating and finding that both of the massive creatures were now gone. ¡®To be able to travel and fight in space¡­ those two were at least tier six¡­¡¯ He thought incredulously. He then looked around a few times to make sure that it was indeed the case and finally let out a sigh of reli¡ª ¡°Curious.¡± A familiar voice echoed around him, sending a chill down his spine. ¡°How are you still alive when you are so weak?¡± The voice asked, yet he didn¡¯t dare answer. ¡®Shit.¡¯ ¡°Keeping mum, are we?¡± it asked again in slight amusement. ¡°No matter. There can¡¯t be any witnesses to what just happened, anyway.¡± Suddenly, a sharp sword made of fire materialized out of nowhere and slashed at him. The flames spread out from the point of impact and eradicated his body down to the last atom, leaving his soul free and exposed. He couldn¡¯t even react, let alone speak. ¡°Oh? How is your soul still here, even after all of that?¡± The phoenix spoke again with even more interest in its tone. ¡°Alas. I would¡¯ve loved to study you more, but as I am in such a rush, I¡¯ll have to give you a free one-way trip to the void layers.¡± He said with a hint of regret in his voice. The sword swung again, but this time on the space in front of him. A chaotic tear in space opened up and greedily sucked in all the gases and particles in the surroundings. ¡°Let this be my last gift to you. Not many beings get to experience the void layers when they¡¯re so young and weak.¡± The phoenix solemnly said as he somehow grabbed his soul and brought it up to its face. ¡°Any last words, little friend?¡± ¡®Yeah.¡¯ He replied as he committed the bird¡¯s features to memory. ¡®I¡¯ll remember this.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s not as if I wanted to kill you.¡± The bird sighed and shook his head in disappointment. ¡°If it were solely up to me, I wouldn¡¯t even bother with you.¡± The phoenix shook its head and looked at him seriously¡ªits eyes growing colder and colder. ¡°You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.¡± He then felt himself get thrown into the tear like how he did with trash. One moment he was in a mana rich environment that had infinite creation aspected mana, the next, there was nothing, not even a death state notification. 1.04 - Dreaming in the void Elias wasn¡¯t exactly sure about what was happening right now. He looked around and saw a familiar scene¡ªthe town hall from Whitebridge, his home. It was exactly as he remembered¡­ down to the last detail, including the younger version of him reaching out to touch the resonance crystal. It was the day of his awakening¡ªhe realized. He took a breath and caught a whiff of the slight metallic tang in the air coming off the guards. As a kid, he never really made a connection between them, but now he knew. There were always people trying to steal the crystal after all¡ªstupid people. The strangest part? He was there in his own body. He tried to reach out and touch younger him¡¯s shoulder, but all his hand did was dissolve into a colorful mist. ¡°Odd¡­ huh?¡± He gasped. ¡°I can finally SPEAK!¡± It had felt like decades¡ªmaybe even hundreds of years¡ªtrapped in that endless nebula, alone with nothing but his thoughts¡­ and the excruciating pain, of course. But that didn¡¯t matter now. Now, he only felt the sheer joy of hearing his own voice again. Suddenly, he felt it¡ªthat familiar feeling of his mana mixing with the unique energy inside the resonance crystal. It was poked, prodded, stretched, and compressed to its utmost¡ªtested in every conceivable way. Then, it was sent out into the universe. Echoing all across creation. It was weak, sure, maybe even negligible in the grand scheme of things. But it was his echo¡ªhis mark on reality. ¡®Well, that¡¯s another odd thing to add to the list.¡¯ He thought as he focused on the feeling of resonance. When he awakened, he was nothing but a tier zero child with the senses of a rock. He couldn¡¯t have felt what he was feeling right now. And according to everything he knew from school and some educational posts on the Weave, it would have been five existence tiers away until the next resonance. |DIng! Congratulations! Your soul has successfully resonated with the Will of the Universe and are now fully connected to the System!| |Ding! You have awakened the Innate Trait [True Immortal]| |¡­| |¡­| |¡­| |Ding! Innate trait has overridden Innate Skill mechanics! Converting to age as a basis!| |Ding! You have awakened the Innate Skill [True Immortal¡¯s Regeneration]| |Ding! You have awakened the Innate Skill [True Immortal¡¯s Mana Absorption]| |Ding! You have awakened the Innate Skill [True Immortal¡¯s Perfect Memory]| |Ding! You have awakened the Innate Skill [True Immortal¡¯s Will]| |Ding! You have awakened the Innate Skill [True Immortal¡¯s Concealment]| |Ding! You have awakened the Innate Skill [Mark of the True Immortal]| |Ding! You have awakened the Innate Skill [True Immortal¡¯s Adaptation]| His daze was interrupted by the familiar notifications of the system. Glancing over to his younger self, he saw the clear confusion on the boy¡¯s face. He looked on with soft eyes and a warm, knowing smile. ¡°Yeah bud, you¡¯re immortal now.¡± He murmured, even though he knew his words would go unheard. Just then, he heard a voice. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, hon?¡± A voice that had always calmed him. One filled with warmth and love¡ªlove he had never asked for but had been given unconditionally. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Mom. I¡¯m confused.¡± The boy said as he was swept up into a tight hug. ¡°Can you explain the whole awakening thing and stats to me again? I just¡­ I just want to make sure that I¡¯m not misunderstanding anything.¡± ¡°Sure thing, hon. Let¡¯s walk home while I tell you all about it.¡± She replied. ¡°Since I already told you the long version of it all, I¡¯ll tell you the short version while we head back home. Sound good?¡± ¡°Mhmm¡­¡± Elias looked at his mother walk away and didn¡¯t know what to feel. Seeing her so vibrant, so happy¡ªso alive¡ªwas surreal. But every time he let himself feel even an ounce of warmth, his mind flashed back to the memory of that red stain on the ground. ¡°Fuck.¡± He muttered through gritted teeth as tears threatened to fall. Times like this made him think that his perfect memory was more of a burden than an innate skill. But, of course, that wasn¡¯t possible¡ªhe already knew what his burdens were. He looked around one final time to take it all in. The next kid was already walking up to the crystal with a firm expression. Everyone else who had finished whispered in hushed tones to their guardians. Focusing back on the kid, he saw him with his hand now on the crystal. He had a silly smile on his face. ¡°Hmmm. He¡¯s that guy with the light trait, right?¡± He whispered, but then shook his head. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. He probably died anyway.¡± Elias refocused and headed for his childhood home. His mother and younger self would take a while to get there with all the stuff they had to discuss anyway. Running through the streets, he passed by the newer and older buildings of the business district. His father had always complained about the focus on efficiency with the more modern buildings¡ªand with both styles put so close together like this, he finally understood. A chuckle escaped him as he realized. ¡°All those fights and all it took for me to agree with him was some type of dream.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. There just wasn¡¯t much of a personality to the new style anymore. Well, there was, it was just bland. And according to his father, ¡°A disgrace to a town of artists like Whitebridge.¡± A few minutes later, he arrived at his home and invited himself in. He expected the familiar chime of the buff he got from the house-spanning sculpture his father made, but was slightly confused when there weren¡¯t any. ¡°Another odd thing to add to the list, I guess.¡± He said as he looked around. Every piece of carvable material, from the walls to the ceiling to even the floor, was intricately carved with images of various wildlife in their natural habitats. They were all in varying forms of relaxation, with eyes pointing toward the central support pillar, which was a sculpture representing the goddess of the hearth Lexia. Even though he didn¡¯t feel the usual buff from the sculpture, he still experienced the same awe and admiration each time he saw it. This was his father¡¯s magnum opus¡ªthe masterpiece that had earned him the title of Limit Master. A sculptor recognized by the universe itself as having reached the absolute peak of what a Master Sculptor can do. Someone who could break his limits and create pieces a whole tier above the accepted peak of his mastery. A one in a trillion seeker. And now he was dead. Brief flashes of that day replayed in his mind again. And again. And again. SLAP ¡°FUCK!¡± He screamed through gritted teeth as his hand and cheek pulsed in unison. ¡°I need to get this under control.¡± ¡°You really do.¡± He froze as his heart stopped for a moment. Slowly, he turned his head to the origin of the voice¡ªto the sculpture of the goddess. The sculpture that had now stepped off its pedestal and was now warmly smiling at him. ¡°What the¡ª¡± ¡°Fuck? Yeah. This must be pretty trippy for you, huh?¡± The statue cheekily said. ¡°This is your dream, after all.¡± It then glanced around. ¡°Well, a mix of a bunch of your innate skills and the void is more accurate. But let¡¯s just call it a dream.¡± ¡°Again, what the fuck is¡ª¡± ¡°Happening? Yeah. It¡¯s a bit complicated.¡± The statue interjected again before tilting its head. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°¡­and it¡¯s complicated?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it? ¡®It¡¯s complicated¡¯?!¡± Elias felt a vein pop somewhere in his head and stomped toward the talking statue. ¡°I am not in the mood for games, statue¡ªor whatever the fuck you are. Explain. Now.¡± A sudden shift came over the statue. The cheeky smile vanished, replaced by a blank yet strangely warm expression. Its whole aura, previously nonexistent, now felt heavy and ancient, yet also welcoming. Like a distant but doting grandmother. ¡°Elias Stone.¡± It nodded slightly. ¡°My name is Lexia. I have gone by many titles in my lifetime. But you may know me as a goddess of the hearth.¡± ¡°¡­so you¡¯re the goddess Lexia?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­and you¡¯re somehow in my dream?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Then¡­ what was up with that whole cutesy act just a minute ago?¡± A smirk tugged at the corner of the goddess¡¯s lips. ¡°I¡¯ve found that annoying someone who¡¯s angry is the fastest way to distract them from whatever they¡¯re angry about.¡± ¡°I¡­ somehow doubt that.¡± He said as he slightly squinted his eyes. The statue¡¯s lips stretched into a wide grin and said. ¡°Well, it also is pretty funny.¡± POP ¡°Whoa there!¡± the goddess said, raising her arms. ¡°Let¡¯s just calm down now.¡± As she spoke, a wave of warmth washed over him. To his surprise, his annoyance vanished instantly. He blinked at the weird feeling of being¡­ normal and looked at the goddess, only to find her covering her mouth. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have just led with that?¡± She brought her hand to her side and cleared her throat. ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s pretty funny.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Anyway! I¡¯m sure you have a lot of questions for me, so let me just¡ª¡± She suddenly appeared a few inches in front of him with her index finger on his forehead. ¡°¡ªdo this¡± Images flashed through his mind in rapid succession¡ªinformation about the void layers, the interaction between skills and innate skills with its unique mana, and an explanation of how she invaded his dream. There was even a detailed history lesson on the goddess¡¯s life. When the images stopped, Elias¡¯s eyes unfocused for a bit as he stared into empty space and tried to process it all. After what felt like days to him, he finally absorbed and understood everything and immediately looked around, searching for the goddess. He found her running her marble fingers through the intricate carvings of the house. As if she sensed his attention on her, she looked over at him and walked slowly in his direction. ¡°I assume that you¡¯ve absorbed it all?¡± She asked. ¡°I¡­ yes.¡± He replied. ¡°Was that all true?¡± ¡°Every single thing.¡± ¡°Even the part about the corruption?¡± He asked in almost a pleading tone. ¡°Yes, even that.¡± She shook her head and sighed. ¡°It would¡¯ve been a different story if you were stronger, but a mere tier 1 coming into contact with void mana and surviving¡ªalong with your innate skills¡ªis unheard of.¡± ¡°And so it has its consequences.¡± He said with slumped shoulders. ¡°Yes, but it will at least be temporary. With enough effort, it¡¯ll disappear quite quickly too.¡± She said as another wave of warmth washed over him. ¡°And it could¡¯ve been much, much worse.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± He dejectedly nodded before glancing around again. ¡°Before you send me off, let me see my parents one last time. ¡°Sure. They¡¯re in the living room right now.¡± Without even acknowledging her response, he immediately headed for the living room. There, he saw his father holding his younger self¡¯s relatively tiny body in a tight embrace. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, son. Immortality isn¡¯t all that hard to achieve!¡± Tobias declared while looking at his wife. ¡°Your mom and I will reach that tier in no time and catch up to you!¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°No buts!¡± Bella interjected. ¡°We¡¯ll burn a few planets if we have to!¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°No buts!¡± ¡°No buts!¡± Younger him looked satisfied with that and finally drifted off to sleep. Elias grit his teeth as tears threatened to fall from his eyes. The warmth of the scene was suffocating in a way¡ªtoo familiar and yet also too distant. His father¡¯s voice, the security of their presence, the unshakable belief that nothing could truly separate them. A belief that had been wrong. Flashes of the way they died briefly replayed in his mind again before a surge of warmth from his shoulder washed them away. He turned his head toward his shoulder and found the goddess¡¯s hand on it. ¡°Are you ready?¡± She asked. ¡°No.¡± He admitted. ¡°But I know it has to happen.¡± ¡°That is good enough.¡± She said before a warm glow spread out from her and enveloped him in its embrace. ¡°This will suppress the corruption until you¡¯re strong enough to do it on your own. In exchange, you won¡¯t be able to rely on your memory skill to recall things from before this moment.¡± The glow died down after that as she stepped to the side¡ªrevealing a smoothly spinning spiral portal in the space behind her. ¡°This will lead you to one of the Empire¡¯s premier training planets, where you can develop your strength in the most efficient way possible.¡± He looked at the portal. ¡°I guess this is it, huh?¡± ¡°Yes. This moment marks the beginning of the rest of your life.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± He took a firm step forward, preparing to enter cautiously¡ª Then something shoved him. ¡°NOT AGAIN!¡± he screamed as he was launched through space. 1.05 - Welcome to Heaven Lexia watched the spiral portal neatly shrink and slowly disappear into nothingness. When it was done, a shift went through her again. It was a subtle change. Something that you wouldn¡¯t expect from the goddess of the hearth. Her welcoming aura was gone. She looked coldly at the pedestal that she¡¯d stepped off from earlier and saw a man sitting on it with his legs crossed. Well, anyone else would see nothing but an ever-changing amalgam of colorful balls of light. But she immediately knew what he was. ¡°Wanderer,¡± she flatly said. ¡°I do hope that you know you¡¯re not welcome here." He uncrossed his legs and gracefully hopped down. ¡°With such constant warm reminders like that, how could I ever forget?¡± He said with a warm smile¡ªnot unlike the goddess¡¯s earlier expressions. ¡°Cut the bullshit.¡± She snapped. ¡°Did you interfere with the portal?¡± ¡°Already annoyed with me?¡± The man¡¯s smile morphed into a sly grin. ¡°I must be losing my charm.¡± He let out an exaggerated sigh, slumping his shoulders in mock defeat¡ªall while the grin never left his lips. ¡°I said cut it,¡± Lexia commanded as cracks appeared all over her marble body. The grin on the man¡¯s face grew wider as he answered. ¡°You older gods are really not much fun.¡± He said while shaking his head. ¡°But to answer your question, I just gave it a little nudge in the right direction.¡± ¡°Where?¡± she demanded. As if to mock her even further, the man¡¯s form shifted, twisting into a giant black blob with nothing but that same, unshakable grin. ¡°A place I like to call¡ª¡± he leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. ¡°Heaven.¡± Suddenly, the dream world collapsed without any warning. It disintegrated into nothing in the blink of an eye. The smiling blob disappeared along with it. The goddess¡¯s marble body¡ªnow exposed to the void¡ªwas rapidly crumbling apart. She glanced around with her icy gaze, trying to look for the Wanderer, but to no avail. ¡°Fuck.¡± She cursed with furrowed brows. ¡°OF COURSE it had to be Heaven.¡± She examined her now limbless body and let out an exasperated sigh. ¡°I hope that immortality of his is as good as we think it is.¡± With those final words, the crumbling reached her head and split it in two¡ªreturning the void to its natural state of nothingness.
|Ding! Death State has ended!| |Ding! Body has reformed!| |Ding! Effective Age has reset!| |Ding! You have gained the title [Void Touched]| |Ding! You have gained the blessing [Lexia¡¯s Touch]| Elias grunted as he woke to the sound of the system¡¯s notifications. His body felt like it had been run over by a high-speed train, and the fog clouding his mind didn¡¯t help. Reaching out for the creation mana, he hoped that he¡¯d landed somewhere rich with it. Nothing. Disappointment settled in his gut along with a deep sense of loss. He tried to open his eyes but instinctively threw up an arm, shielding them from the sudden burst of light. Waiting for a few minutes to give his eyes time to adjust, he brought up his memory skill. [True Immortal¡¯s Perfect Memory] ¨C Level 60 {Mildly Corrupted (Suppressed)} Time may erode mountains, but your mind remains untouched by its passage. -No detail escapes you. Every moment, every sensation, every lesson learned is etched into your being, never to fade. Memories remain as vivid as the instant they were formed, allowing you to recall them with perfect clarity- {Mildly Corrupted (Suppressed)} ¨C Your mind is your own¡ªmost of the time. The skill behaves as it should, memories accessible at will, but every so often, the suppression falters. A rogue recollection slips through, an intrusive fragment from another time. The last words of a lover in the middle of battle. The smell of a home-cooked meal while on your third week without food. Note: There is a chance of madness if corruption is not purged. **With the suppression provided by [Lexia¡¯s Touch], all memories from before the blessing will be inaccessible to this skill** This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°Well, that¡¯s just fucking great.¡± He grumbled as he read through it all. ¡°If this is what it''s like when suppressed¡­¡± Shaking his head, Elias decided to not think about it anymore. Slowly, he opened his eyes, careful not to be blinded again. What he saw wasn¡¯t at all what he expected. ¡°It¡¯s... peaceful,¡± he muttered. He stood in the center of a small clearing, surrounded by a dense and shadowy forest. The odd part was that everything from the grass and shrubs to the towering trees was completely white. It gave him a strong sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Slowly, he got to his feet, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings. He knew he¡¯d seen this place before¡ªor at least something similar. Not remembering immediately was new to him, and it bugged him to no end. For now, he decided to explore and get his bearings. Spotting a particularly tall tree, he chose to climb it. Thankfully, even with the measly five-point multiplier from his fourth rank talent in Strength, it was more than enough to carry him up. As he climbed, he noticed something strange¡ªthere was nothing on the tree except branches and leaves. No birds or nests, no bugs, no spiderwebs, not even a trace of moss or leaking sap. It was pristine¡ªunnaturally so. The sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu intensified in his mind, but he couldn¡¯t really put his finger on what was so familiar about the place. He shook his head and refocused on the climb. ¡®Maybe the view from the top will jog my memory.¡¯ He thought. But he was wrong. When he reached the top, all he could see was a dense fog that started as soon as the local flora gained any color. ¡®Well, that¡¯s not odd at all!¡¯ He thought as he sighed and shook his head. He quickly hopped down a few branches and landed lightly on the ground. Deciding to pick a random direction to head in, he chose the one that made the most sense¡ªthe one with the lone boulder sitting at the edge of the clearing. It took longer than he expected to get out of what he decided to call the ¡®white zone¡¯, but when he did, it felt like stepping into an entirely new world. Gone was the dense fog that blocked his vision. He now found himself in the middle of a jungle that was very much alive. He heard a cacophony of noises from different creatures, some loud and intimidating, while some were more muted¡ªall from quite a distance away. The flora was a lush and vibrant green, with the occasional flower that added a splash of color to it all. Looking up, he saw several creatures soaring through the sky. The smaller ones gathered in flocks, while the bigger ones flew from higher up¡ªalone and probably on the hunt. Heh A sound stood out among everything else. Another thing that was triggering his d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Heh heh heh The sound was getting louder and, if he heard right¡ªmore numerous. With a squint, he cautiously looked around. He could swear he¡¯d heard that sound before, but just couldn¡¯t quite place it. It sounded oddly human¡ªyet not. Like someone who was out of breath from a run, but different enough that he was sure it wasn¡¯t that. It was wrong. Warped. It almost sounded like a laugh¡­ or more like a creepy chuck¡ª HEH HEH HEH ¡°CHUCKLERS!¡± It finally clicked in his head. The white zone that was devoid of anything except white plants, the dense fog, the creepy chuckles from a creature that he¡¯d only seen from an old video of a survival game that the empire liked to broadcast a few centuries ago. ¡°FUCK! I¡¯M IN HEAVEN!¡± Then he saw them. Up in the trees to the right¡ªswinging and hopping from branch to branch. Brown primate looking creatures with massive arms, far too large for their lanky bodies. Thick. Muscular¡ªyet dexterous. Built for one thing. Throwing. Elias immediately turned to the left and started running. Sprinting. He¡¯d seen what those creatures could do. Just one of them could hurl a small rock and have it go straight through a boulder. He didn¡¯t want to find out what they could do to him. So he ran¡ªnot because he was afraid to die¡ªbut because he didn¡¯t want to be an all-you-can-eat meal for the rest of his life. Branches and leaves whipped against his face as he tore through the forest. Behind him, the screeches and eerie chuckling of his pursuers grew closer and closer. It was becoming clear to him that he wouldn¡¯t be able to outrun them. He had to fight. Reaching deep inside him, he felt for his store of creation mana. Full¡ªor close to it, at least. Nevertheless, he¡¯d make do. With the amount he had, it was barely enough to make one bigger construct the size of his head. He thought for a second and steeled himself. He only had one advantage over his much stronger foes, and he planned to take full advantage of it. He stretched out his right arm and grabbed one of the thinner trees in his way. Using it to pivot around and bring himself to a stop. The bark cracked under his grip, but it held just long enough. Straightaway, he closed his eyes and focused on covering his hands and arms in pure titanium. Skipping his design skill would bite him in the ass, but there was simply no time. The metal surged into place, encasing his arms from fingertip to elbow in a dull, silvery sheen. He shaped his hands into solid spheres, built purely for impact, while keeping the metal on his forearms thinner¡ªmade more for defending. But before he could be satisfied with the thickness, he ran out of creation mana. Gritting his teeth, he opened his eyes and examined his makeshift weapons. The spherical hand-maces were definitely missing the needed spi¡ª HEH HEH HEH ¡°Fuck!¡± he cursed, instantly activating his shaping skill¡ªforming pitifully dull spikes across his fists. Just as he finished, a rain of small rocks slammed into the ground close to him, blasting out craters, making him hop back a few steps to evade them. But that was just the opening salvo. The second barrage came faster, the impacts creeping dangerously close to him as the chucklers closed in. He knew this couldn¡¯t go on. He had to close the distance. With a deep, calming breath, he steeled himself. Then he launched forward, reckless and unrelenting, his metal-clad arms raised. As he closed in on the source of his stress, he noticed some movement in the trees. A third of the group had just dropped down. They landed with a graceful ease, using their oversized arms like springs to absorb the impact. He would have been impressed if not for a few of them already eyeing him down with rocks in their hands. ¡®Crap! I have to do it!¡¯ With that thought, he gathered half the normal mana he still had access to and expelled them all into a concentrated jet from his feet¡ªpropelling himself forward at dizzying speeds. The world blurred. Then¡ª He crashed into one of the primates, his makeshift hand-mace slamming into its chest. Bones crunched; its ribs caved. The creature barely had time to screech before it collapsed, dead before it even hit the ground. |Ding! You have killed [Chuckler (I) ¨C Level 92]| |Ding! You have gathered 1% of the enemy¡¯s essense!| |Ding! You have killed a creature in [Heaven]! Essence doubled!| |Ding! Welcome to Heaven!| 1.06 - First fight As Elias and the dead chuckler fell to the ground, the rest of the group froze. For a brief moment, everything was silent. Then, as if they were possessed by the vengeful spirit of their dead friend, they burst into action. Over a dozen of them, every single one already holding a rock, arced their arms back. Elias barely had time to get up before the first stone came hurtling toward him. He threw himself to the side, just barely making the stone miss his shoulder. More followed¡ªa literal storm of projectiles raining from every direction. He raised his metal arms to shield his face, but the rest of his body was exposed. One clipped his right thigh, sending a jolt of pain up his leg. Another hit him square in the stomach¡ªthankfully, going straight through him. But he couldn¡¯t afford to slow down. ¡®Fuck it!¡¯ He forcefully pushed himself off the ground and threw caution to the wind. Mana flared beneath his feet, launching him forward like a cannonball. If he couldn''t dodge the storm, he''d tear straight through it. Several rocks hit all over his body, riddling him with bloody holes¡ªbut he pushed on. At last, he reached the nearest primate and swung a punch straight at its face. Surprisingly, it didn¡¯t react in time and its skull caved in with a sickening crunch, blood and brain matter splattering across his mace-hands. |Ding! You have killed [Chuckler (I) ¨C Level 86]| Before the body even hit the ground, he was already turning to the next. The number of wounds was piling up, but he didn¡¯t care¡ªhe couldn¡¯t. With a sharp breath, he charged forward, arm already pulled back for the next strike. CRACK Before he could, a stone hit his spine. Pain exploded through him and he collapsed backward like a puppet with its strings cut. His vision blurred, darkness threatening to take over. Above him, he vaguely saw the accursed monkeys still in the trees¡ªhop down and surround him. HEH HEH HEH Their laughter rang in his ears. For a moment, he thought he understood it¡ªcruel amusement, or maybe triumph, maybe even just pure mockery? He wasn¡¯t sure. These were animals, after all. Yet somehow, not knowing enraged him more than the thought of losing. He groaned in pain¡ªbut it slowly twisted into a rage-filled growl. It was low and primal, embodying everything he¡¯d endured up to this point. From the moment he woke up in that nebula, to that phoenix throwing him into the void layers, and even having to be saved by a goddess from forever drifting in the void¡ªbeing spared from assured madness in the process¡ªeverything had been out of his control. He felt helpless. Weak. ¡®No more.¡¯ His fingers twitched, clawing at the dirt as he forced his body to move. Pain screamed through him, but he latched onto his fury instead. If they wanted to laugh, he¡¯d make them choke on it. Then, as if his regeneration skill had answered his rage, his shattered spine snapped back into place. A jolt tore through him¡ªsharp, electric¡ªbefore sensation flooded back into his limbs. He shot upright, shocking the laughing primates. He felt light. Powerful. Alive. Not wasting any time, he lunged at the closest victim. The chuckler barely had any time to react before his fist caved its chest in. With a spin, Elias hurled the limp body into the nearest group, knocking them down into a mess of thrashing limbs and screeches. |Ding! You have killed [Chuckler (I) ¨C Level 89]| He didn¡¯t stop. A rock whizzed past his head. Another clipped his ear, warm blood trickling down his neck. He ignored it all. Even the one that pierced his left lung. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. The pain only fueled him now, sharpening his focus. A chuckler leaped at him from the side, a relatively small uprooted tree in its hands. He barely had time to register the absurdity before it swung. He threw himself backward, the massive trunk missing his face by inches. The tree smashed into the ground where he''d just stood, sending dirt and shattered roots flying. Wasting no time, he surged forward, aiming straight for its exposed ribs. The chuckler snarled and tried to raise its makeshift club again, but he was faster. He ducked low, driving his mace-hand into its side with bone-crushing force. A sharp crack echoed through the battlefield as ribs shattered. The creature wheezed, its grip on the tree loosening. Not letting up, he raised his other fist over his head and brought it down on its head, sealing its fate. |Ding! You have killed [Tribe Leader Chuckler (I) ¨C Level 114]| The beast crumpled onto the ground; its skull caved in like a shattered melon. Blood and bone fragments splattered across his face, but he didn¡¯t care. He looked at the remaining chucklers and saw them hesitating. Their laughter¡ªso full of arrogance and mockery before¡ªwere now uncertain and filled with a hint of fear. Elias grinned; breath ragged. ¡°Not so funny now, huh?¡± Then just as he was about to continue, a shriek sounded out from the back of the group. A slender, less muscular primate walked closer. It walked with a grace that was clearly beyond what its kin could manage. The fur covering its body also wasn¡¯t completely brown¡ªit had white streaks all over that made it look almost¡­ ¡®Crap.¡¯ With a hunch as to what it was and a belly full of trepidation, he used [Identify] on it. [Matriarch Chuckler (II) ¨C Level ???] Cold sweat began to drip from his forehead when the air shifted. The other monkeys backed away, leaving only Elias and the Matriarch standing apart. Then it bared its fangs and smiled. It sent a cold shiver down his spine. He could feel it¡ªthe intelligence behind that smile. It was no ordinary beast. And as if to prove what he was thinking, he felt something prod at his mind. |Ding! A mind bridge is attempting to connect to you!| |Ding! [True Immortal¡¯s Concealment] has blocked the attempt from Matriarch Desippe!| |Ding! Will you accept?| |Yes/No| He stared blankly at the notification in front of him. His instincts screamed at him to refuse, to keep this much more powerful creature out of his mind. But he hesitated. Information was power. And right now, he was as powerful as a newborn baby in this world. His eyes lingered on the prompt. What would happen if he refused? He wouldn¡¯t die, of course. But dealing with a Tier Two being made things more complicated. It would definitely have a Law Shard of its own. And if it was anything that could imprison him effectively¡­ he would be in trouble. He glanced back at the Matriarch and saw it still smiling at him¡ªa glint of interest in its eyes. It wasn¡¯t just watching him; it was evaluating him. Testing his response. A tense silence hung in the air. The previously aggressive chucklers were looking intently at him¡ªnot with hostility, but with interest. He grit his teeth. His body was still battered and riddled with holes, yet the pain had already somewhat lessened. His regeneration was working, but he knew he wasn¡¯t in any shape to keep fighting¡ªespecially not with something at Tier Two. Another pulse brushed against his mind, gentler this time, like a hand knocking on a door instead of trying to force it open. |Ding! Matriarch Desippe has sent a message: ¡°Speak with me.¡±| He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Why was she so persistent? What did she stand to gain from talking with him? Why didn¡¯t she just crush him when she was over a hundred levels more powerful than him? He didn¡¯t know the answers to those questions, but he did know one thing¡ªshe needed him. And if there was one thing he had learned in life, it was that people treated you well for as long as they needed you. With that thought, he exhaled slowly. He knew what he had to do. He accepted. The moment he did, a strange sensation washed over him. It didn¡¯t feel like his entire soul was being laid bare for the Matriarch to see¡ªthankfully. It wasn¡¯t intrusive at all. The connection felt like a thin string connecting his mind to hers. It was fragile¡ªto the point that he felt like he could terminate immediately if he wanted to. ¡°Ah. Good, you¡¯ve accepted.¡± A¡­ somewhat refined voice rang in his mind. It sounded surprisingly normal. He didn¡¯t know what he expected exactly. Old? Young? Ancient and wise? Anything that wasn¡¯t just like talking to a normal human woman. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen a human in quite a long time.¡± She narrowed her eyes. ¡°The last time was when I was still an infant¡­ and most of my tribe was slaughtered by one.¡± Elias tensed and was about to try to appease her when she calmly raised her palm. ¡°You need not worry. I know you are different from them.¡± She paused and eyed his wounds. ¡°So different, in fact, that you are still alive despite all of that.¡± He didn¡¯t relax, but he let out a slow breath, his mind racing. The way she spoke¡ªmeasured, almost¡­ amused¡ªunnerved him more than if she¡¯d been openly hostile. ¡®There are probably more of them up there¡­¡¯ He thought as he glanced up at the trees. Confidence like this against someone who they couldn¡¯t kill was¡­ unnatural, after all. Then he glanced back at the Matriarch. ¡®Or maybe she¡¯s just that strong.¡¯ ¡°How many of you are there?¡± He asked, keeping his voice steady. The Matriarch tilted her head slightly, her eyes gleaming with something unreadable. ¡°Enough.¡± He scoffed. ¡°I dunno. I was doing a pretty good job so far.¡± He pointed at the dead tribe leader. ¡°I even killed your leader.¡± The chucklers stirred at that, some gripping the dirt, their claws twitching. A few bared their teeth. But the Matriarch? HEH HEH HEH For the first time, she let out a chuckle¡ªthe same eerie, mocking laugh as the others. It sent a chill down his spine. Then, just as abruptly, she stopped¡ªthe surrounding chucklers following suit. ¡°Perhaps.¡± Her gaze flicked over the bodies, her eyes gleaming with something unreadable. ¡°You are strong, yes. But strength alone¡­ won¡¯t save you here.¡± He met her gaze, his expression unreadable. ¡°Then what will?¡± The Matriarch studied him, tilting her head, as if considering her next words carefully. Then, her lips curled back in a slow, deliberate smile, fangs glinting. ¡°Cleverness.¡± And just like that, he knew¡ªthis wasn¡¯t just a meeting. This was a negotiation. 1.07 - Questions ¡°What exactly does tha¡ª¡± Before he could finish, the Matriarch abruptly turned on her heel and started walking. ¡°Come along. We¡¯ll talk as we walk.¡± She commanded. Her tone made Elias¡¯s eye twitch. But he wasn¡¯t in much of a position to complain. The others followed without hesitation, some casting him menacing glances. With a quiet sigh, he followed. ¡°Again, what exactly did you mean by ¡®cleverness¡¯?¡± She glanced back for a moment and said. ¡°It¡¯s simple, really¡ª¡± It turned out that for the past three centuries, this planet had been left to fend for itself. But instead of slowly withering away into rot and obscurity, it thrived. Once, Heaven had been a legendary proving ground¡ªa brutal training planet where potential Champions of the universe honed their strength. From reckless, Tierless mortals to ambitious Tier One seekers, all had been drawn here by one thing: doubled essence. It was the place to go if anyone wanted to grow stronger, faster. But everything came at a price. ¡°The difficulty.¡± He muttered. ¡°Indeed.¡± The Matriarch replied with slightly narrowed eyes. ¡°The peak of the native beasts was always two existence tiers above the strongest champion candidate.¡± Hesitating for a moment, he swallowed. ¡°And I¡¯m assuming that¡¯s changed?¡± Desippe stopped in her tracks and turned her head directly at him. ¡°Tier Five.¡± ¡°Y¡­ You mean¡ª?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She said as she turned to continue her march. He felt his stomach drop. His mind raced as he thought of the implications. He was barely a second-tier being thanks to his adaptation skill. And technically, he was still Tier One. A cold sensation crawled down his spine. Tier Five. That wasn¡¯t just strong. That was untouchable. He knew the gap between tiers wasn¡¯t linear¡ªit was exponential. Tier Two could crush Tier Ones without trying. Tier Three could start twisting reality itself. Tier Four¡­ those were the monsters that shaped battlefields. But Tier Five? Beings like that usually changed whole swaths of land without even lifting a single finger. And when they killed¡­ they erased. He hurried to catch up to her as he clenched his already closed fists¡ªmaking the metal around them groan. ¡°So you¡¯re telling me that there are things out there that can kill me if I get just an inch too close?¡± Desippe didn¡¯t immediately answer. Instead, she turned to study him for a moment. Not with amusement. Not with pity. With calculation. Finally, she spoke. ¡°It¡¯s worse than that.¡± His muscles tensed. ¡°Worse how?¡± She tilted her head slightly. ¡°They don¡¯t just kill. They consume. They adapt.¡± His breath hitched. She continued. ¡°They have risen to the peak of this menagerie of a planet, so adapting is what they are best at.¡± Elias felt something cold settle in his gut. ¡°Survival of the fittest dialed up t¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget the essence.¡± She added. His brow furrowed. The essence? Then it clicked. ¡°The doubled essence¡­¡± he muttered. Desippe nodded. ¡°It doesn¡¯t just apply to you¡­ and it isn¡¯t just doubled.¡± His pulse quickened. If the beasts here were already Tier Five, and they had access to doubled essence¡­ No. That wasn¡¯t what she meant. His throat felt dry. ¡°What do you mean it isn¡¯t just doubled?¡± She paused for a moment¡ªas if in contemplation. ¡°It would be better if I show you.¡± Suddenly, she turned to one of the bigger warriors walking by her side¡ªa brute with scars all over its body. ¡°Show him.¡± She commanded. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it The warrior extended its arm toward him and flexed. For a moment, the air around it shimmered¡ªnot with heat, but with something deeper. Something ingrained in his very being. Essence. But not just one. Two distinct energies swirled in the air¡ªone was clearly his. The other¡­ wasn¡¯t. ¡°We do not know how it happened exactly.¡± The Matriarch said as she walked closer. ¡°But this is the result of around three centuries of neglect.¡± ¡°Doubled essence and¡­ merging?¡± He stared at the shifting essence, his stomach twisting into knots. Doubled essence was already insane. But merging? That was something else entirely. He watched as the warrior flexed his fingers, the energy around his arm pulsing. The two distinct forces twisted, bled into each other¡ªsyncing. That shouldn¡¯t be possible. Essence didn¡¯t work like that. It was personal, intrinsic. It was supposed to reject foreign energy, maybe even cleanse it¡ªnot fuse with it. Elias exhaled sharply. "You''re telling me things here don¡¯t just get stronger¡­ they absorb each other?" Desippe nodded. ¡°Some call it evolution. Others call it corruption.¡± She gestured to the warrior¡¯s arm. ¡°But we call it inevitable.¡± He clenched his jaw. Not only were there Tier Fives on this godforsaken planet, everything else was also¡ª ¡°Wait. The Tier Fives¡­ what happens if they merge?¡± He asked, his voice slightly shaking. Desippe didn¡¯t answer right away. Instead, she let the silence stretch, the weight of his question lingering in the air. Then, without a word, she turned and started walking again. He hurried after her. ¡°And?¡± She sighed. ¡°And we don¡¯t know.¡± He ran in front of her¡ªstopping her in her tracks. ¡°You don¡¯t know? Or you don¡¯t want to tell me?¡± Her eyes flickered to his bloody weapons before locking onto his own. ¡°It hasn¡¯t happened yet,¡± she admitted. The knot in his stomach tightened. ¡°But you have to have theories¡­ right?¡± She exhaled, almost reluctant. ¡°Of course we do.¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°And?¡± Without warning, she snapped her fingers and both of his makeshift weapons imploded¡ªalong with his hands. ¡°GAH!¡± He screamed as he quickly backed away a few steps. Metal and pieces of his flesh dropping to the ground. ¡°You would do well to know your place, human.¡± She said as she walked past him¡ªnot even looking him in the eyes. He clutched his mangled hand, biting back another scream. Pain shot up his arms like fire, but he forced himself to keep walking. The Matriarch didn¡¯t spare him another glance. The others barely even reacted. It was a warning. He sucked in a breath, forcing himself to focus. He was about to speak again when he realized¡ªhe couldn¡¯t. His throat locked. His lips wouldn¡¯t move. ¡°I will not be answering any more questions.¡± The Matriarch said flatly. ¡°If you want more answers, you¡¯ll have to do something for us first.¡± Elias breathed in slowly, calming himself and forcing himself to move despite the fire crawling up his arms. His hands¡ªwhat was left of them¡ªthrobbed with sharp, pulsing agony. Skin, muscle, and bone were already regenerating, but slowly. A bit too slowly. ¡®She must¡¯ve done something.¡¯ He thought, as he tried sensing for whatever it was. At first, there was nothing. Just pain. Just the sluggish crawl of his cells knitting themselves back together. But he didn¡¯t give up. He concentrated, pushing his will deeper into his own flesh, searching¡ªuntil he finally found it. Mana. Her mana. It was like nothing he¡¯d ever felt before. It clung to his cells, pressing down like an invisible weight, dulling his regeneration¡ªnot stopping it, just¡­ suppressing it. ¡®Odd¡­¡¯ He stopped walking, closing his eyes. He focused all his will on the foreign mana, nudging at it, prodding it with his own. Trying to understand it. But it moved like liquid smoke, slipping through his grasp. Elusive. ¡®It feels almost like trying to hold¡­ water?¡¯ He frowned. ¡®Water¡­? No. Not exactly. There¡¯s something else.¡¯ This moved like water, but it didn¡¯t settle. It seeped through his grip, slipping away the moment he tried to grasp it. Even mana influenced by the Law of Water didn¡¯t behave like this. Not to mention that his mana was supposed to be fighting it off. But this? It wrapped around his cells. Heavy. Smothering. Not fighting him¡ªjust¡­ holding him down. ¡®I need to try something else.¡¯ Instead of the forceful prodding, he tried weaving his mana through it. Slow and careful. It shivered. His pulse quickened. ¡®It reacted.¡¯ This wasn¡¯t just a passive force. It followed a pattern. Elias pressed further, threading his mana through the weight pressing down on him. The strands of suppression were layered¡ªwoven in intricate loops. Too precise to be natural. ¡®There!¡¯ A knot. His mana brushed against it, and the pressure over his cells twitched. It didn¡¯t break, not fully, but it loosened. His regeneration kicked up¡ªonly slightly, but enough to feel. He exhaled slowly. ¡®That¡¯s it.¡¯ Desippe¡¯s suppression wasn¡¯t invincible. It had rules. Structure. And if it had structure¡­ it could be unraveled. A slow grin crept onto his face. ¡®Let¡¯s see how she likes it when I start pulling¡ª¡¯ ¡°Good.¡± Her voice came, interrupting his thoughts. ¡°You¡¯re a fast learner.¡± He opened his eyes to find her directly in front of him¡ªlooking at his hands with interest. ¡°You¡¯re going to need to be for what we want you to do.¡± Without letting him reply, she looked at two chucklers off to the side and commanded. ¡°Carry him. We¡¯ve wasted enough time.¡± He couldn¡¯t even protest before he was unceremoniously carried like a sack of vegetables. ¡®Ugh.¡¯ He sighed internally. ¡®I hate this.¡¯
While Elias was dealing with the chucklers, Lexia had just arrived on an entirely different planet. She stepped out of a tear in space and took a moment to look around. It was dawn, and the morning air was fresh and crisp. She closed her eyes briefly, savoring the rare moment of peace. With a deep breath, she felt reinvigorated. "It¡¯s all about the little things." She said with a smile. But she couldn¡¯t afford to linger. She had come here for a reason¡ªto meet someone. She sent out a pulse of will that traveled all across the planet, felt only by the most powerful beings. It was common courtesy to announce oneself when arriving on someone else¡¯s territory after all. Then, with a quick jump, she shot into the sky, disappearing in the direction of the capital. A few seconds later, she arrived in the sky above it. ¡°Impressive as always.¡± She remarked as she gazed at the city. The capital stretched beneath her where towering spires of obsidian and gold loomed over the city, their surfaces lined with glowing runes that pulsed in a steady, rhythmic pattern¡ªalmost alive. Bridges hung suspended in the sky, connecting floating platforms where figures moved with quiet purpose. Lexia took it all in. She had been here before, but the sheer scale of it never failed to impress. This wasn¡¯t just a city¡ªit was a fortress. A statement of power. Her gaze drifted lower. The streets pulsed with movement, but there were no civilians. No merchants. No wasted space. Every person walking these roads had earned the right to be here. Warriors. Mages. Crafters. All scholars in their own right. ¡°We have been expecting you, goddess.¡± A voice said from behind her. She looked over and saw a figure materialize. Stepping out of nothing as if reality had folded to accommodate his presence. Cloaked in deep blue, a mask covering the lower half of his face, he carried himself with a quiet ease. Lexia tilted her head. ¡°Not bad. I almost didn¡¯t notice you.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The figure said flatly. She clicked her tongue. ¡°You guys are never fun, are you.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She sighed. ¡°Okay, take me to him, then.¡± 1.08 - The best rocks The masked man nodded once and turned without another word. Instead of descending toward the city, he pulled out a small artifact. It shifted, expanded, then unraveled into a door. It floated mid-air, unsupported, its surface rippling like liquid metal. Lexia raised a brow. ¡°A portable gate? Fancy.¡± The masked man didn¡¯t respond. He just stepped through, vanishing into the shifting surface. She shook her head, unimpressed. ¡°No fun at all.¡± Then she followed. The transition was instant. One moment, she was stepping through the gate. The next, she was inside a room. Simple. Unadorned¡ªexcept for the runes. They were everywhere. Carved into the walls, the floor, the ceiling. Etched deep into the black stone, pulsing in slow, rhythmic waves. The air buzzed with their power, thick with old magic. Her gaze swept across the chamber, taking it all in. ¡°Ah, the famous chamber of secrets,¡± she mused. A dry chuckle echoed from across the room. "Hardly," a familiar voice replied. "More like a humble testing chamber.¡± She turned her gaze toward the figure who had just finished working on a crystal orb. Emperor Varian, the Innovator himself¡ªor more commonly known as¡ª ¡°Hobs, you know there¡¯s nothing humble about this place.¡± Varian¡ªHobs¡ªset the orb down with practiced precision, golden eyes flicking up to meet hers. ¡°You always did have a talent for stripping away pretense,¡± he said, standing with that same effortless grace he always carried. Lexia smirked. ¡°One of my better qualities.¡± He gave her a look. One that said he disagreed. But he let it go. ¡°Anyway,¡± he said, getting straight to the point. ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure of a visit from the goddess of the Hearth herself?¡± Like a flipped switch, her expression hardened. ¡°The Wanderer interrupted me on my trip.¡± He didn¡¯t react. Not outwardly. But she knew him too well. She caught the flicker of interest in his eyes. "You know, switching moods like that creeps people out," he said. Then, after a brief pause, ¡°The Wanderer?¡± His tone was measured. ¡°That¡¯s unexpected.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded. ¡°I was checking out a weird signal I picked up from that region.¡± Hobs hummed in thought. ¡°That does sound like something he¡¯d do.¡± He studied her. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t explain why you¡¯re here.¡± Lexia leaned against the nearest table, arms crossed. ¡°That signal was an immortal.¡± Silence. The runes pulsed. He tilted his head slightly. ¡°That so?¡± Her smirk widened. ¡°That so.¡± The emperor didn¡¯t move. Didn¡¯t blink. But she caught it¡ªthe subtle shift in his stance, the way the runes pulsed just a little too sharply. She had his attention now. ¡°And I assume he wasn¡¯t just a regular immortal. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t be here.¡± He said, while tapping the table, thinking. Then he stopped and snapped his head toward her. ¡°A unique trait?¡± She didn¡¯t answer right away. Just held his gaze, watching the gears turn behind his eyes. The runes pulsed¡ªonce, twice¡ªbefore settling into a slow, steady rhythm. He was already working through it. Calculating. Measuring. And that told her everything she needed to know. He wasn¡¯t dismissing it. He was worried. She smirked. ¡°Not just unique.¡± She took a step closer. ¡°Unprecedented. He was barely corrupted by the void even after over a century there.¡± His fingers tapped against the table. Barely a motion. But in this room, with him, it carried weight. She tilted her head. ¡°You already have an idea, don¡¯t you?¡± He exhaled through his nose. Didn¡¯t answer. She chuckled. ¡°Well?¡± His gaze flicked to the runes, then back to her. ¡°How much does he know?¡± Lexia rolled her shoulders. ¡°Practically nothing.¡± Hobs muttered something under his breath. Then turned, tapping the table again. Slow. Controlled. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. He didn¡¯t like this. Then¡ª He abruptly stopped and let out a breath. He turned back to her, expression unreadable. ¡°We have to move up the plans.¡±
Back in Heaven, Elias let out a breath as he was finally released from the hands of the chucklers. He grunted as he stood up on his own two feet¡ªdigging them into the earth. ¡®That was awkward¡­ and itchy.¡¯ He cringed as he remembered the feeling of their fur brushing up against his bare skin. ¡®Only realizing I¡¯m naked so late is just¡­ ugh. Definitely need to make myself some clothes as soon as I get enough creation mana.¡¯ Now with a plan in mind, he quickly caught up with the Matriarch and fell in step behind her. She didn¡¯t acknowledge him right away, her gaze fixed ahead as they walked through the forest. ¡°We are here.¡± She said as she stopped in her tracks. ¡°You may speak now.¡± ¡°Finally!¡± He exclaimed, but was then confused. ¡°Where are we exactly?¡± He looked around and all he could see were trees. A lot of them were relatively bigger than previous ones he¡¯d passed, but they were still trees. The Matriarch gave him a sidelong glance, amusement flickering in her expression. "Look up.¡± Elias frowned but did as she said. He froze. The trees stretched higher than he realized, and up in the canopy were a plethora of rope bridges and houses¡ªsome carved into the bigger trees, while others were separate structures altogether. Then, movement. Faint, almost imperceptible. But it was there. At first, he thought it was the wind shifting the leaves. Then he realized¡ªhe was being watched. Figures stood on the bridges, perched in the trees, moving between the trunks with impossible grace. They barely made a sound. Cloaked in deep green and gold, their forms blended into the light and shadow, almost as if the forest itself had shaped them. Elias tensed. Not out of fear. Instinct. The Matriarch didn¡¯t stop walking. ¡°They have been watching since we arrived.¡± Elias exhaled. ¡°Yeah, I got that.¡± She continued, unconcerned. ¡°The Elders wish to judge you before we proceed with our deal.¡± He scowled. ¡°Judging me? For what?¡± The Matriarch didn¡¯t stop walking. ¡°The Elders do not deal with outsiders lightly.¡± He exhaled through his nose. ¡°Yeah, again, I got that.¡± Suddenly, the air in front of him shifted. One of the cloaked figures had come down. They hadn¡¯t jumped. Hadn¡¯t landed. Hadn¡¯t made a single sound. One moment, the space in front of him was empty. The next, it was filled. Elias didn¡¯t move, but his muscles tensed. Whoever this was¡ªthey were dangerous. He fired off a scan of [Identify]. [???] ¡®That¡¯s just fucking great.¡¯ ¡°Desippe, this human you¡¯ve found is a bit rude isn¡¯t he?¡± Elias barely kept his expression in check. ¡®Guess he felt that.¡¯ The Matriarch nodded. ¡°He is. But he is perfect for our needs.¡± The cloaked figure let out a soft, amused hum. ¡°Perfect, you say?¡± Its head tilted slightly, and though Elias couldn¡¯t see its eyes, he could feel the scrutiny. Without warning, the elder plunged an arm into his stomach and withdrew it in the same second. He couldn¡¯t even follow his speed. A sharp, wet sound filled the air. ¡°What just¡ª" Elias stumbled, eyes widening as he looked down. "¡­ no wound?¡± His skin was unbroken, his body whole¡ªbut he felt it. The phantom pain of something inside him being ripped away. The elder raised his hand, inspecting it. Something shimmered between his fingers¡ªsomething invisible, but undeniably there. Essence. His essence. The elder hummed, rolling his wrist. ¡°Good. It resists. Now¡ª¡± With a swift motion, it crushed the essence in his palm. He gasped, nearly dropping to his knees. It felt like his soul had been stepped on. The world swayed, nausea crashing into him like a wave. His body recoiled, rejecting the absence of what had been taken. He clenched his teeth, forcing himself to breathe and steady the tremors running down his spine. Something was wrong¡ªdeeply wrong. The elder wiped his hand clean against his cloak, as if nothing had happened. ¡°He¡¯s tougher than expected too.¡± Desippe nodded, as if that explained everything. He ground his teeth. ¡°What the hell¡ª¡± ¡°Just a test, human.¡± She said. Elias forced himself to stand straight, even as his body screamed at him to collapse. A test? That¡¯s what they called ripping out a piece of his soul? He took a slow breath through his nose, forcing the trembling in his limbs to settle. His eyes flicked to the elder, who was still watching him with unsettling amusement. ¡°Some test,¡± he muttered. His voice came out hoarse. Her expression remained unreadable. ¡°You survived. That¡¯s all that matters.¡± He clenched his jaw. He really hated these people. ¡°And you¡¯re already healing.¡± She added. ¡°We needed to see if your ungodly regeneration included your soul.¡± ¡°Now we know.¡± The elder said as he turned around and nodded to one of the other elders in the canopy. ¡°Our deal can now be formalized.¡± |Ding! A representative of the Mirthbound clan has extended a system contract!| |Examine?| He exhaled sharply, eyes flicking to the system prompt hovering in his vision. He didn¡¯t trust these people¡ªat all. But refusing wasn¡¯t an option. Not unless he wanted to fight what he assumed was a group of cloaked Tier Threes. ¡®Yes.¡¯ |Contract opened| [The Mirthbound Accord] Terms: |Accept? Yes/No| His jaw tightened. ¡®This is entirely one-sided!¡¯ Elias¡¯ fingers twitched. ¡®A single request?¡¯ That could mean anything. And forfeiture of protection was just a fancy way of saying they¡¯d kill him¡ªor at least try to¡ªif he crossed them. His gaze flicked to Desippe. She was watching him with that same unreadable expression, waiting. Testing. He clenched his jaw, eyes shifting between the contract hovering in his vision and the Mirthbound surrounding him. He had no leverage, no real choice. Either he accepted, or he risked making enemies of an entire clan. His finger hovered over ¡°Yes.¡± Then¡ªhe hesitated. ¡®Am I just gonna roll over and make myself their slave?¡¯ That single request in particular. Too vague. Too dangerous. ¡®No. Fuck this.¡¯ He exhaled through his nose, meeting Desippe¡¯s gaze. Then the elder¡¯s. A pause. Then, with a steady voice, he said¡ª ¡°No.¡± The air stilled. A tense silence spread through the clearing, and every pair of eyes locked onto him. The weight of it pressed against his skin, thick with unspoken threat. Then, a slow, deliberate applause came from the Matriarch. The elder nodding in unison. ¡°Good. You have a spine¡± He shifted in his place and suddenly disappeared, leaving behind the words. ¡°You will need it.¡± Elias looked questioningly at Desippe, looking for answers as to what just happened. ¡°A test.¡± She said. ¡°And?¡± ¡°You passed.¡± She grinned, then walked deeper into the woods. ¡°Come, we¡¯ll get you what you need for the tasks ahead.¡± He exhaled, tension still thrumming beneath his skin. He wasn¡¯t sure if he had just avoided a trap¡ªor stepped into something worse. But for now, he would celebrate this small win. He ran up to the Matriarch¡¯s side. ¡°About the needs.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Get me the best rocks.¡± 1.09 - Waiting for a purpose ¡°The best¡­ rocks?¡± She gave him a puzzled look. ¡°Yes!¡± Elias nodded eagerly. ¡°I¡¯m a sculptor, and I need good material to work with!¡± Desippe raised an eyebrow. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be a barbarian or something? And what¡¯s with all the enthusiasm?¡± He shrugged. ¡°I just like to sculpt.¡± For a moment, he thought of Anna¡ªhow she used to watch him work, always critiquing his posture and fussing over the details. A bit annoying at the time, sure, but he always knew that it all came from love. He missed her. He sighed. ¡®Even with the corruption suppressed, I guess I can¡¯t escape my own memories.¡¯ ¡°Now you¡¯re sighing?¡± The Matriarch asked. Shaking his head, he replied. ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­ Anyway, about those rocks?¡± ¡°Odd human¡­¡± She muttered. ¡°But if you want the best rocks, there¡¯s a ruin a few days travel from here.¡± ¡°A ruin? Of what?¡± ¡°The elders say it was for safe zone of some sort.¡± She shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t exactly know since I¡¯ve only passed by the place a few times.¡± He hummed in thought for a minute, then asked. ¡°Think it¡¯s got anything left?¡± Desippe scoffed. ¡°If there was anything worth taking, someone would have taken it already.¡± ¡°You do have a point.¡± He said with a nod. ¡°Good thing all I want is the stone.¡± ¡°Stone? There should be some metal there too, why not that?¡± ¡°Metal that hasn¡¯t been taken by anyone¡ª¡± He continued as he pointed at her. ¡°as you said¡ªand lasted this long would either be useless or too hard to work with.¡± He paused. ¡°At least at my low level.¡± She tilted her head. ¡°Low level?¡± Elias sighed. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s uhhh¡­ related to one of my burdens.¡± ¡°I see.¡± She nodded in realization. ¡°The great balancing act of humanity¡¯s infamous burdens.¡± He nodded. ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard others also say that it¡¯s the universe¡¯s biggest lottery.¡± Then an awkward silence set in for a few minutes. ¡°Your trait must be quite powerful for you to have a burden like that.¡± She finally said, breaking the silence. ¡°Regeneration in both body and soul¡­¡± He rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding her gaze. ¡°Yeah, something like that.¡± The Matriarch studied him for a moment. ¡°Most would kill for that kind of power.¡± He let out a dry chuckle. ¡°Some have tried.¡± Her expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°And?¡± ¡°And I¡¯m still here,¡± he said simply. She hummed, considering his words. ¡°Well, since I can sense your discomfort, I will not pry any longer.¡± Desippe glanced at a group of medium-sized chucklers walking behind them¡ªalmost instantly, they shot off into the trees as if responding to a command. Elias looked at them swing and hop among the branches and couldn¡¯t help but be amazed. ¡°Are you psychic or something?¡± He half asked, half muttered in wonder. ¡°Of a sort.¡± She grinned. He watched the chucklers vanish into the canopy, their movements so fluid they barely rustled the leaves. ¡°So, are you controlling them, or do they just listen really well?¡± Desippe gave him a side glance. ¡°They listen.¡± He frowned. ¡°Just like that?¡± She shrugged. ¡°Trust is stronger than control.¡± Elias let that sink in. ¡°And what if they don¡¯t listen?¡± ¡°They listen.¡± There was no arrogance in her tone, no need to elaborate. Just fact. He exhaled. ¡°You¡¯re really not much for long explanations, huh?¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Desippe kept walking. ¡°Long explanations waste time.¡± He chuckled. ¡°You and I have very different philosophies.¡± ¡°Clearly.¡± Before he could respond, one of the scouts returned, landing silently in front of Desippe. It let out a series of sharp clicks and gestures. She watched intently, then nodded. ¡°The ruins are clear. They¡¯ll start gathering your materials.¡± Not letting him respond, she turned and scaled a tree, disappearing into the branches. Elias watched as Desippe disappeared into the canopy without a sound. He sighed. ¡°Right. Guess I¡¯ll just be here.¡± The other chucklers swiftly followed their matriarch, vanishing into the trees moments later. Left alone, he glanced around. The forest suddenly felt quieter. Peaceful even. With a sigh, he said. ¡°Might as well set up camp while I wait.¡± Then he remembered something¡ªhe still had two free general skill slots. Without a second thought, he brought up his general skills and picked the empty slots. |Ding! You have two free General Skill Slots! Do you wish to see your choices?| |Yes/No| ¡®Yes.¡¯ |Select a General Skill| ¡°STOP!¡± He screamed. |Ding! Do you wish to stop your selection?| |Yes/No| ¡°No!¡± He protested. ¡®I forgot how many useless skills there are¡­¡¯ ¡°Just¡­ filter by useful¡ª¡± He paused. What did he need right now? He had crafting covered from head to toe already. ¡®I need some type of skill to help with fighting¡­ and what else?¡± He tilted his head as he pondered. ¡®Ah!¡¯ ¡°Filter by everything useful for navigation and fighting.¡± |Ding! Acknowledged. Filtering¡­| |Select a General Skill| |Do you want more choices?| His eyes lingered on the selection screen as he mulled over his options. Without hesitation, he tapped on [Directional Sense], watching it lock in with a satisfying ding. Then, scrolling quickly, he chose [Quick Reflexes]¡ªa combo that felt right for the challenges ahead. |Ding! You have learned the skills [Directional Sense] and [Quick Reflexes]!| With that done, he flexed his fingers, testing the subtle effect of his new skill. His body felt more responsive, like an invisible weight had lifted¡ªbarely noticeable, but it was there. ¡®A few levels and this¡¯ll be a big help!¡¯ He thought, keeping himself positive. He turned his attention to the clearing, scanning for a good place to set up. A sturdy tree with broad, low branches caught his eye. ¡®Perfect.¡¯ With a plan in mind, Elias ran his fingers along the rough bark of the tree, already picturing the changes he¡¯d make. A proper platform, some reinforcements¡ªmaybe even some basic defenses, just in case something nastier than chucklers wandered through. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be too hard.¡± He said, then sighed. ¡°Too bad I can¡¯t use my design skill on a whole house.¡± ¡®Would make this a hell of a lot easier.¡¯ He eyed the tree, exhaling through his nose. Without [Design], he¡¯d have to wing it. Not the worst thing, just¡­ annoying. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do this,¡± he muttered. Activating [Material Shaping], he pressed his hands against the bark. The skill wasn¡¯t meant for living wood, but since he lacked the tools and the creation mana to make them¡ªit would have to work. Slowly, rough planks started forming. Uneven and definitely not up to standard, but usable. ¡°Alright, next step¡­¡± He trailed off, glancing at the rocks on the ground. ¡°Would rocks make good nails?¡± He consulted his [Material Knowledge] skill and found his answer. ¡°Nope. Too brittle.¡± He paused. ¡°But they would probably make good pegs¡­¡± He crouched down, picking up a small, dense rock and rolling it between his fingers. If he shaped it right, he could carve pegs thick enough to wedge into the wood. Not as convenient as nails, but workable. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see what I can do.¡± He activated [Material Shaping] again, pressing his thumb against the stone. It softened slightly under his touch, and with slow, deliberate motions, he molded it into a tapered peg. Giving it a once over, he was pleased and went on to the next stones. |Ding! You have created [Crude Stone Pegs] x5| Elias smirked. ¡°That¡¯ll do.¡± Then he froze. A rustling sound came from behind him. He swiftly turned around; his muscles tensed. Silence. A moment later, a few chucklers arrived carrying stone of varying sizes. Some small and barely needed any effort from the ones carrying them¡ªothers were massive, needing several chucklers just to drag it. ¡°You work fast.¡± The voice came from behind him. Elias turned to find Desippe already inspecting his work, her sharp eyes scanning each crude peg and plank like a master craftsman judging an apprentice¡¯s first project. ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s fast!¡± He said, then pointed at the other chucklers. ¡°I thought the ruins were a few days¡¯ travel from here?¡± ¡°I was keeping your speed in mind.¡± She replied. ¡°They can travel much faster than you.¡± He sighed in defeat. "Well, that saves me a few days of work, I guess." He admitted. She nodded, stepping closer to inspect the materials. "The ruins were old, but the stone quality held up. It should serve you well." He walked closer and ran his hand over one of the slabs. A quick check with his [Material Knowledge] skill told him everything he needed to know. A relatively common mana-soaked stone. Found in high-density mana zones. Perfect for enchanted walls and enchanting in general. Back when it was whole, it was probably a higher rarity. Now? Completely downgraded. With a pulse of his mana, he tested the stone¡¯s conductivity. ¡°¡­¡± When he got all he needed from the mana feedback, he gave it a few knocks and said. ¡°Yeah, this¡¯ll do.¡± Desippe watched him with mild curiosity. ¡°You act like you can hear its secrets.¡± He smirked. ¡°Not hear. Feel.¡± He ran a hand over the rough surface, his [Material Knowledge] skill feeding him information¡ªhardness, mana saturation, structure. ¡°This stone was part of something important once. Strong, reinforced. Probably enchanted.¡± She scoffed. ¡°And now it¡¯s just rubble.¡± ¡°Rubble¡¯s just raw material waiting for a purpose.¡± He activated [Material Shaping], and the edges of the stone softened under his touch, shifting at his command. ¡°And I¡¯m about to give it one.¡± 1.10 - The first of many A series of crisp cracks echoed as Elias flexed and stretched his hands¡ªa ritual he¡¯d grown used to every time he sculpted. He glanced over everything the chucklers had brought and took stock. ¡®Mmm. There should be enough for a golem and a house.¡¯ With a thought, he dove completely into his [Design] skill¡ªthe whole world fading with only a black void in his sight. |Ding! Intent to design a sculpture detected! Would you like to designate a basic form?| For now, he needed something that could fight, walk decently on different terrain, assist him on various things¡ªsomething versatile over all. One simple form came to mind. ¡®Humanoid.¡¯ |Ding! Acknowledged!| A ghostly blue outline appeared in the void, rough and featureless at first. He reached out instinctively to refine and modify it. It pulsed as he dragged his hands across it. The first thing he did was to make it twice his height¡ªhe needed it to be his protector, after all. Next were the legs. They needed to be thick¡ªnot just for stability, but to handle uneven terrain. He reinforced the ankles, ensuring they wouldn¡¯t snap under pressure, and adjusted the knee joints to allow flexible movement with overlapping layers. The feet needed to be large and wide to evenly distribute weight, ensuring balance. If this thing was going to fight, it couldn¡¯t be sluggish. Suggestion: -Adjust body proportions to avoid structural weakness- He clicked his tongue. ¡®I know.¡¯ This wasn¡¯t exactly his first time making golems from sculptures¡ªthough all of his previous creations were much smaller. With a shake of his head, he refocused and continued with the modifications. The torso was straightforward¡ªbroad and reinforced, built to take direct hits without breaking apart. But the real strength would be in the arms. Elias dragged his hands across the design toward the hands¡ªthe outline pulsing along. He shaped the arms with deliberate care. They had to be powerful enough for combat, but not so bulky that they slowed the golem down. ¡®Balance. Like everything else.¡¯ Now, the hands. The true difference between a simple brawler and a warrior. If the legs kept it standing and the arms gave it reach, the hands would decide how it fought. Striking, gripping, tearing¡ªmaybe even wielding a weapon. He shaped them to be somewhere in between. Then, a thought struck him¡ªif this thing needed to protect him, it couldn¡¯t just block attacks. It needed to end fights quickly. So, he reinforced the knuckles, shaping them into pointed ridges¡ªenough to break armor, dent steel, and send a message with every punch¡ª without sacrificing dexterity. Letting out a breath, he gave it a once over. ¡®Dad wouldn¡¯t be happy with the lack of art in this, but it¡¯s good enough.¡¯ Nodding in satisfaction, he moved on to what would make it a golem¡ªthe chest cavity that would house the core, the eye and limb sockets for the sub-cores, and finally, the circuitry within. The cavity and sockets were simple¡ªjust spherical indents, since the cores he was planning to make were the simplest type. It was the circuitry that was complicated. He exhaled, shaking his hands before diving in. It wasn¡¯t as simple as carving random vein-thin pathways into the stone. They needed to connect the cores without interrupting each other and mixing signals. Everything needed to be in harmony. One mistake, and the mana wouldn¡¯t circulate properly¡ªat best, the golem would move like a stumbling drunk, and at worst¡­ it wouldn¡¯t move at all. When it was all done, he said. ¡°Finalize.¡± |Ding! Scanning¡­| Suggestion: -Add redundancies to the circuitry- ¡°Ah! How¡¯d I miss that?¡± He exclaimed as he palmed his face. A single broken line in the circuit would shut that part of the body down. A well-placed strike that didn¡¯t even have to do much damage could incapacitate a whole limb. ¡°Rookie mistake.¡± He shook his head, shaking off his mild frustration along with it. Refocusing, he ran his fingers along the glowing circuits, tracing the circuitry again. This time, he added four more separate pathways. This way, if one was damaged, power and commands would still be able to flow. He would¡¯ve added more, but then he¡¯d have to worry about weaknesses in the stone. ¡®This¡¯ll do.¡¯ He distanced himself from the design, looking at it from a broader perspective. When he was satisfied, he tried to finalize again. |Ding! Scanning¡­| |Scanning¡­| |Scanning¡­| |Ding! Design finalized! Do you wish to name this design and save it as a template?| |Yes/No| He thought for a moment. This wasn¡¯t just another project. This was the culmination of what he was working to with his classes¡ªthe classes he inherited from his parents. He let out a breath¡ªnot letting himself go down memory lane. But he knew what he wanted the name to be. The beginning of his vengeance. The first of many. The first of his army. ¡°Primus Vindictus.¡± |Ding! [Primus Vindictus] has been saved as a template!| |Ding! [Design] has leveled up!| |Ding! [Design] (R) is now Level 5!| With the satisfaction of leveling up, he ended his [Design] skill and popped back out into the real world. ¡°You were gone for a while.¡± Desippe said as he opened his eyes. ¡°You also feel a bit¡­ different.¡± Elias grinned. ¡°I just did a bit of designing.¡± He looked over at the rubble scattered around. ¡°Can you tell your guys to gather it all up into a pile?¡± She hummed for a moment while staring intently at him. ¡°I suppose.¡± Without another word, she turned to the chucklers and commanded them silently. A sharp series of clicks and gestures followed. The creatures immediately sprang into action, scurrying across the clearing, hauling chunks of stone with surprising efficiency. Some carried smaller pieces in their arms, while others worked together to drag larger slabs into a growing pile. He watched, impressed. ¡°They really do work well together.¡± She didn¡¯t respond¡ªjust watched as her chucklers continued their work without hesitation. When he saw that the pile had enough to make his golem, he told Desippe to command them to form another pile. He, on the other hand, finally got to work on his creation. ¡°Alright. First things first, I need to make you guys whole.¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. He spread out his will over the pile¡ªmaking sure that he got every piece within his control¡ªthen activated his [Material Shaping] skill. ¡°Condense.¡± The stone resisted at first, as if reluctant to change, before finally yielding to his will. The jagged rubble trembled, then softened, smoothed, and compressed, shifting as if it were clay rather than hardened rock. Gradually, the scattered fragments melded together, forming a single, dense pillar of stone. ¡°You work fast.¡± Desippe commented. Without glancing over, he replied with a smirk. ¡°We¡¯ve established that.¡± ¡°Hmmm. Yes but, how will you sculpt without your tools?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be a bit harder.¡± He admitted. ¡°But my shaping skill should be enough for this design.¡± He paused. ¡°The hard part will be the cores and the circuitry.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Desippe¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Why would a sculpture need cores and circuitry?¡± He ran his hand across the now smooth, condensed stone as he thought of his reply. Glancing at her, he could tell that there was no hostility in her eyes, but something else lingered beneath her curiosity. Caution. Maybe even suspicion. ¡°This sculpture won¡¯t just be for display.¡± He said finally. ¡°Hmmm?¡± He grinned. ¡°I¡¯m making a golem.¡± Desippe¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°A golem?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He nodded. ¡°Not just an unmoving statue, something that moves, fights, and follows commands.¡± She hummed, stepping closer. ¡°Sounds complicated.¡± He agreed, tapping on the stone with his knuckles. ¡°It also doesn¡¯t help that my previous golems were nowhere near this size.¡± Elias ran his fingers across the dense stone pillar, feeling the potential locked within. This was just the beginning. ¡°Alright, next step.¡± She tilted her head. ¡°Which is?¡± ¡°The core.¡± He tapped the center of the stone. ¡°The thing that acts as both the heart and the mind.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t sculpt the pillar first?¡± ¡°No.¡± He said with a shake. ¡°I¡¯m not experienced enough to perfect the circuitry in one try. I need to see the mana coursing through the pathways as I sculpt.¡± Desippe crossed her arms. ¡°And how do you plan on making that?¡± ¡°Same way I made the metal that covered my hands.¡± Then, he reached deep inside himself¡ªto his store of creation mana. As he did, he noticed that it had somewhat refilled. Not enough to make anything big, unfortunately. ¡®Guess I¡¯ll have to make do with simple commands for now.¡¯ He gathered all he could muster and willed it to form carbon. ¡°Carbon?¡± A different voice sounded from beside him. He just nodded, his focus completely on the creation mana pooling into his palm. The process was slower than he¡¯d have liked¡ªhis reserves were still recovering¡ªbut he could feel the material beginning to form. Right between his fingers, a small speck of light formed. It hovered there, trembling, then expanded as more mana surged into it. Layers upon layers compressed together, refining, hardening, crystallizing. A dull, glassy sphere began to take shape¡ªbut he didn¡¯t stop. He activated his shaping skill to condense it even more. More and more until¡­ the dullness vanished. In its place, a diamond emerged¡ªflawless, perfectly spherical, yet impossibly dense. Its crystal-clear surface swallowed the light, bending it inward before releasing a prismatic shimmer. |Ding! [Material Shaping] has leveled up!| |Ding! [Material Shaping] has leveled up!| |Ding! [Material Shaping] (R) is now Level 37!| Elias exhaled as he heard the notifications, his body trembling slightly from the strain. He turned the barely lemon-sized core in his fingers, watching the way the refracted light danced across its surface. "That''ll do," He murmured in satisfaction. It had felt like ages since he last leveled up his skills ¡°Fascinating.¡± That unfamiliar voice sounded out from behind him again. He turned toward the voice and found a relatively thin chuckler in a deep green and gold cloak. Even its arms were thinner than the others¡ªa fairly huge contrast to their signature feature. ¡®An Elder.¡¯ He thought. ¡®A different one.¡¯ ¡°May I see it?¡± The Elder asked while intently looking at the core in his hands. Elias didn¡¯t answer right away. His fingers tightened around the diamond core, its weight pressing against his palm. The Elder didn¡¯t move closer nor repeat the request. It just stood there, staring. Desippe shifted beside him and moved in between him and the Elder. ¡°Human, this is Elder Rhyx.¡± ¡°Ah yes! I forgot to introduce myself!¡± Rhyx said, straightening his cloak. ¡°I am the clan¡¯s resident Earth Shaper.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Desippe gave the Elder a look¡ªmaking him clear his throat. ¡°Right! I¡¯m also the resident researcher for any and all odd things¡­ unfortunately.¡± He said, his eyes never leaving the core. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Desippe sighed and said. ¡°As you can see, Elder Rhyx is a bit odd¡­¡± ¡°Curiosity should never be mistaken for oddness, Desippe.¡± Rhyx said, shaking his head. ¡°But enough about me.¡± He pointed at the core. ¡°Since we will be working together from now on, surely you¡¯ll have no trouble showing me your creation?¡± Elias didn¡¯t loosen his grip. Rhyx¡¯s tone was pleasant enough, but something about the way he stared at the core made Elias uneasy. The Elder hadn''t moved, hadn''t made any demands, but his intent was obvious. Desippe¡¯s eye twitched, it was fast but Elias noticed it. She didn¡¯t trust Rhyx either. Elias finally spoke. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because it is new.¡± His said, almost amused. ¡°And because I¡¯ve never seen anyone create anything near me before.¡± ¡°And if I say no?¡± The Elder chuckler chuckled. Low and dry. ¡°Then you say no.¡± He spread his arms as if to show his harmlessness, but Elias wasn¡¯t convinced. There was something in the way the Elder watched him that felt too¡­ measured. Desippe exhaled before chiming in. ¡°Elder, perhaps this can wait until after the human has completed his work.¡± Rhyx sighed, shaking his head. ¡°Desippe, Desippe¡­ always so impatient.¡± Then, to Elias, ¡°If you prefer to keep it to yourself, I will not press.¡± The Elder¡¯s tone was polite, his words reasonable, but he had dealt with enough people in his life to recognize when someone wanted something more than they let on. He gave a slow shake of his head. ¡°I think I¡¯ll hold onto it for now.¡± The Elder simply nodded. ¡°As you wish.¡± ¡®That¡¯s it?¡¯ He looked at the Matriarch questioningly and saw that she¡¯d relaxed somewhat after hearing the Elder¡¯s words. Rhyx glanced at the stone pillar. ¡°A shame. I would have liked to study your technique.¡± He stepped back, folding his thin arms into his cloak. ¡°But I will not delay your work further.¡± The Elder then turned smoothly and walked away¡ªslowly descending into the earth. Elias sighed in relief, unclenching his hand holding the core. ¡°That guy¡¯s definitely up to something.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Not hearing a reply, he turned to Desippe. She had a complicated expression on her face. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Like I said, he¡¯s odd.¡± She sighed. ¡°He probably was up to something, yes. But that was probably more that he wanted to break your core open and study it." ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°He¡¯s just¡­¡± She paused. ¡°very curious. Even though he doesn¡¯t like being called the clan researcher.¡± She sighed again and looked him in eye. ¡°He means well. Usually. But sometimes his curiosity gets ahead of him.¡± ¡°Riiiiight¡­¡± Elias said, not completely believing her words. ¡°He really does mean¡ª¡± ¡°Stop. I probably won¡¯t believe you no matter how much you explain things.¡± He turned around, back to the stone pillar. ¡°I need to focus on finishing this golem first before any more elders decide to drop in.¡± He flexed and cracked his hands again. ¡°Alright,¡± he muttered to himself, ¡°back to work.¡± Next, he needed to finally shape the pillar into the body of a golem. Elias placed his hands on the dense stone, feeling the raw potential beneath his fingertips. This was the moment everything came together¡ªthe moment where he turned an idea into reality. [Material Shaping] The stone responded immediately this time¡ªhaving already been subjected to his will. He worked fast but carefully, guiding the shape into what he¡¯d designed. Limbs stretched outward, broad and powerful, shoulders carved to balance the massive weight of the torso. The golem¡¯s legs, built for stability and movement. He shaped the thighs first, ensuring the joints could bear the weight of the upper body. The knees were reinforced with overlapping layers, allowing flexibility without sacrificing strength. The feet, large and wide, would help distribute weight evenly, keeping the golem from toppling over on rough terrain. Desippe watched in silence, arms crossed. The chucklers gathered in a loose circle, as if instinctively aware of the moment¡¯s importance. ¡°The arms,¡± he muttered, moving to the next part. He took extra care shaping them, knowing they were the primary tools for both combat and utility. The biceps and forearms were thick. He fashioned the wrists with rotational joints, allowing for a full range of motion. Then, the hands. He took his time and shaped them deliberately¡ªfingers long enough to grasp weapons or crush stone, yet dexterous enough to perform finer tasks if needed. The knuckles, already designed for combat, were given a final reinforcement, small ridges that would act as built-in striking points. Taking a step back, he admired his work. ¡°I¡¯ll admit.¡± She said from beside him. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure you could actually pull it off.¡± Elias shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not done yet.¡± He shook his hands and dove back in¡ªthis time for the core cavity in the chest, the sockets in the eyes and limbs, and of course, the circuitry. Placing his palm on the golem¡¯s broad chest, he activated his shaping skill again. First, he carved out a deep cavity in the center of the chest, perfectly spherical and smooth. It had to be snug enough to hold the diamond core without unnecessary gaps. He then moved to the secondary sockets¡ªthe smaller indents in the golem¡¯s limbs and head. These were for the sub-cores, which would help distribute power more efficiently. ¡®One in each arm, one in each leg, and two in the eyes,¡¯ he reminded himself. He made quick work of the head, making it fairly featureless aside from the eye sockets. The indents on the limbs were over even quicker as they were just holes. These weren¡¯t necessary for a functioning golem, but if he wanted one that could move smoothly¡ªand fight at its peak¡ªhe needed them. When he was finally done with the structural work, he moved on to the core. For now, he only needed to fill it with mana¡ªjust so he could see if it flowed well through the circuits. After filling it to the brim and making it glow blue with dense mana, he could feel the difference in quality from what he¡¯d used before. Diamond was an excellent material, but what he¡¯d made was pure and mundane diamond. It couldn¡¯t hold a candle to the specialized crystals he¡¯d used before. He put it into the cavity and shaped the stone around it just enough for just a small part of it to show. "Alright." Elias muttered. ¡°Next, circuits.¡± He looked around for a brief moment and saw all the chucklers focused on him. ¡®Guess this is interesting to them too.¡¯ He let out a breath and refocused on the golem. ¡°No mistakes.¡± He brought up his design first to ensure that he hadn¡¯t forgotten anything. The circuits had to be as precise as veins in a body. If he put them too close together, they would interfere with each other. If he put them too far¡ªthey would be too close to the surface. Thickness was also a factor. The circuits needed to be as thin or just a bit thinner than veins in a human body. Too thick and the mana flow would be too slow and make it need more mana. Too thin and the cores would be in danger of exploding. With practiced focus, he slowly ran his fingers along the golem¡¯s body. Inch by inch, he took his time, making sure to recheck if the circuits were properly flowing with mana from the core every foot of progress. Time passed as he repeated the cycle of shaping and rechecking¡ªunbeknownst to him, a day had already passed since he started crafting. He exhaled slowly, releasing the tension he¡¯d built up in the process of meticulously shaping the circuits. Now, as he looked at it all, the glow of mana pulsed across the veins¡ªthe core, the eyes and the sub-cores in the limbs¡ªpulsing along with it. It finally looked like a true golem. ¡°Is it finally done?¡± Desippe¡¯s voice came from behind him. A satisfied smile slowly pulled at his lips. ¡°All that¡¯s left are the enchantments on the cores and we¡¯re good to go.¡± She walked around, examining it in all its majesty. ¡°You said you were inexperienced.¡± She paused. ¡°This wouldn¡¯t happen to be your first combat capable golem, right?¡± Memories of his parents, friends... and Anna flashed briefly in his mind. Elias shook his head. His smile morphing into one of pride and anticipation. ¡°The first of many.¡± 1.11 - Something painful Desippe ran her hand across the golem¡¯s arm, tracing the unmoving stone. ¡°What now?¡± Elias exhaled, stepping closer. He placed his palm against the core¡¯s exposed surface, feeling the dormant power within. "Now, I bring it to life." A pulse of mana slowly seeped into the core, refilling what it had spread along its circuits and sub-cores. ¡°You see, all my previous golems were built for house chores.¡± He continued. ¡°They had the best possible materials and the most refined cores I could manage at my level.¡± Another pulse. This time, more controlled¡ªhis will stretching outward, gripping every particle of mana inside the core. ¡°But even with all that, they were built with simple commands and dexterity in mind¡ªbecause I could afford to.¡± His breath stilled, the mana stopping their flow along with it. Then, with another force of will, it started to condense. Symbols began to take form. They didn¡¯t appear so much as they assembled, weaving themselves into place according to his commands. Faint at first¡ªalmost imperceptible¡ªbut then more defined. The very language of the universe. Runes that held the very fabric of reality in each stroke. Albeit, their lower tier versions. The golem¡¯s body reacted. Its circuits, once dormant, began to hum¡ªfaint traces of light flickering within the carved pathways. ¡°Now¡­ I can¡¯t.¡± He paused, preparing himself. ¡°For this, I need something that can fight.¡± With one more wave of will, he guided each rune into their rightful places¡ªlocking them in each position. ¡°[Imbue].¡± He said, activating his skill. A basic Intelligence rune snapped into place at the bottom part of the core¡ªgranting it a rudimentary level of understanding. Next came the runes for mana Flow and Retention on the left and the right sections¡ªfor efficient mana circulation and regulation. Lastly, for now at least, was the Binding rune at the top¡ªbinding the golem solely to his will. The moment all four snapped into place, a ripple spread outward¡ªresonating with reality. The once unmoving golem trembled. Then¡ª |Ding! Golem core attempting to bind with you! Do you accept?| |Yes/No| ¡°Yes.¡± |Ding! Acknowledged!| |Ding! Incomplete Golem detected! Do you wish to name it Primus Vindictus anyway?| A smile crept up on his face. ¡°Of course!¡± |Ding! Primus Vindictus has been registered as a named construct!| |Ding! Your Control stat has decreased by 3300 points!| |11 550 => 8 250| Elias barely acknowledged the notification, his focus locked on the connection settling into place. It wasn¡¯t just a bond¡ªit was a claim. A weight that tethered the golem to him, sinking deep into his very being. Not heavy, but present. The core pulsed in response. Once. Twice. A slow, methodical rhythm, like a heartbeat trying to find its pace. Each one making the golem tremble more and more until¡­ it stopped. ¡°Why did it stop?¡± The Matriarch asked. ¡°Just give it¡ª¡± Before he could finish the sentence, the golem moved. The stone groaned as Primus straightened, shoulders rolling, fingers twitching. The circuits running through its body pulsed in turn, mana flowing with greater ease¡ªyet something was still missing. ¡°Its eyes are still dull.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± He chuckled. Without wasting any more time, he went on to apply a Coordination rune on all the limbs. While also adding Stability runes to the legs and the arms got the runes of Acceleration¡ªleaving each of them with one slot left. Then he turned his sights to the eyes. Because Primus had an Intelligence rune¡ªeven if only basic¡ªhe could get away with not inscribing it with a Recognition rune. Instead, he opted for the usual Vision rune along with Synchronization. ¡®This should make them more in sync.¡¯ Then, it tried to test itself. At first, its steps were slow, deliberate¡ªeach movement testing its own weight, its own balance. The stone beneath its feet trembled, but it did not falter. It was a process of understanding. It turned its head, scanning the clearing. Its glowing eyes flickered, the circuits around them adjusting, adapting. It paused for a moment on the Matriarch and on some of the bigger chucklers, but continued on. Each movement was smoother than the last. More refined. Then, it took a step forward. One with more weight. More purpose. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. It took another step¡ªthis one faster, more fluid. The mana within its limbs pulsed in time with its motion, reacting instead of just flowing passively. Elias exhaled. ¡®Good.¡¯ ¡°Why does it feel¡­¡± ¡°Off? Yeah, it¡¯s still not complete.¡± With calm, measured steps, he slowly walked toward Primus. He placed his hand against its broad chest, right over the core. Their connection flaring into existence, strengthening as he made physical contact. With a surge of his will, he materialized one massive rune above the core. ¡°Harmony.¡± The Harmony Rune floated above the core, glowing with raw, condensed mana. But he knew that wasn¡¯t enough. Not for this golem. His fingers curled. ¡°Break.¡± The rune shattered, splitting apart into seven fragments. Each one still pulsing with mana, but now separate¡ªyet somehow still connected. Desippe took a step forward. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Elias didn¡¯t answer. His focus was locked onto the fragments, on the delicate web of connections still lingering between them. Reaching out to the first and largest fragment, he guided it to the center of main core. It was almost easy how it just slid into place. But when it did, the four other runes in the core immediately started spinning, revolving around the harmony rune. Then, he placed each of the fragments in the sub-cores¡ªevery time, the next was easier than the last. And the moment the last fragment slid into place, the entire golem shuddered. The mana coursing through its body didn¡¯t just flow¡ªit surged. He felt it through their bond¡ªthe circuits inside Primus¡¯s frame, once working independently, now clicked into perfect synchronization. Each Harmony Rune had adapted. Each had found its place. And now, they were¡ª |Ding! All Harmony runes fully integrated!| |Ding! Golem efficiency increased by 34%!| |Ding! Congratulations! Primus Vindictus is now complete!| |Ding! [Material Shaping] (R) has leveled up!| |37 => 38| |Ding! [Focus] (R) has leveled up!| |38 => 39| |Ding! [Imbue] (UC) has leveled up!| |Ding! [Imbue] (UC) has leveled up!| |1 => 3| |Ding! [Mana Manipulation] (UC) has leveled up!| |21 => 22| |Ding! [Mana Sight] (UC) has leveled up!| |22 => 23| |Ding! [Mana Efficiency] (UC) has leveled up!| |1 => 2| |Ding! [Rune Optimization] (UC) has leveled up!| |15 => 16| |Ding! [Handicraft] (UC) has leveled up!| |16 => 17| Elias let out a slow breath, his grin lingering as he absorbed the weight of his progress. It had been a while since he¡¯d leveled up this much from a single project. The rush of notifications had been satisfying, but even more satisfying was the reality standing before him. Primus Vindictus. Not just functional. Not just powerful. Complete. The golem stood perfectly still, but he could feel it through their bond. The subtle hum of mana, the synchronized pulsing of each core, the precise way its weight settled into the ground without waste. He didn¡¯t need a system notification to tell him. This was a success. Desippe stepped forward, arms crossed, her sharp gaze sweeping over Primus. ¡°Alright,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯ve been grinning like an idiot, but is it actually done?¡± He exhaled, cracked his knuckles and gave them a shake for good measure. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s done.¡± TA TA TA The sound of stone hitting stone echoed as they noticed Primus shaking its hands too. ¡°Desippe¡¯s eyebrow twitched. ¡°¡­did it just copy you?¡± Elias blinked, lowering his hands. Primus stopped, its movements perfectly synchronized with his. No delay. No calculation. Just instinct. ¡°Guess so¡­¡± He said, tilting his head in thought. ¡°It¡¯s not supposed to be able to do that¡­ yet.¡± ¡°Then what do you think happened?¡± He paused. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If I had to guess¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Wait. I can actually just check its stats to find out.¡± And when he did, he was shocked.
Primus Vindictus ¨C [Rubble given purpose] - Forged from the shattered remains of Haven 43, where walls once stood to protect but fell to ruin, Primus Vindictus rises¡ªa sentinel of vengeance and rebirth- Core Type: Pure Mundane Diamond Efficiency: 134% (Optimized) Synchronization: 100% (Harmony Achieved) Bound to: [Elias Stone]
His breath hitched. ¡®100% Synchronization?¡¯ That wasn¡¯t supposed to be possible¡ªnot with the level of his skills, not at his Tier, and definitely not with a mundane core. Desippe stepped forward, arms crossed. ¡°What does it say?¡± He barely heard her. His mind raced, piecing together every rune, every circuit, every surge of mana he¡¯d used. He had optimized it, sure¡ªwith his [Rune Optimization] skill passively affecting all his work¡ªbut not to this degree. ¡®What the fuck happened?¡¯ Elias scrolled down, looking for any discrepancies, any hint at what caused this anomaly. Then he saw it.
Resonant Trait Discovered: [Echo of Will] A resonance born from a remnant will, loss, and purpose. Through creator and construct, understanding is forged beyond simple commands.
His fingers twitched. He read the trait description again. Then once more. Desippe leaned in, eyeing him carefully. ¡°Well?¡± He didn¡¯t answer immediately. His thoughts raced, replaying every step of Primus¡¯s creation, every rune, every command. He hadn¡¯t built intelligence into it¡ªat least, not beyond what the system allowed. He had only added the basic Intelligence rune. Elias scanned the trait again, trying to understand how it happened. Then it hit him. ¡®Remnant will?¡¯ He thought of the ruins¡ªthe ruins that he assumed were just destroyed because of the centuries of neglect. ¡®Something must¡¯ve happened there.¡¯ He thought. ¡®Remnant wills only appear when¡ª¡¯ His head snapped to Primus¡¯s eyes when it clicked in his head. ¡°Primus.¡± He paused, thinking about what he wanted it to do. ¡°Raise your arms to the side and imitate a windmill.¡± The golem immediately obeyed without a second of delay¡ªlifting its arms horizontally and stopped. It stared at him blankly, as if waiting for further commands. Letting out a breath of relief, he relaxed somewhat. ¡°Thankfully, it shouldn¡¯t have inherited any memories from the will.¡± ¡°Hmmm?¡± Desippe voiced from beside him. ¡°Why would it inherit memories?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And why would you test it in that way? What even is a windmill?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a simple test. If it had spun its arms¡ªif it had even spun its whole body around¡ªthen I would¡¯ve known that it had at least an inkling of what a windmill was.¡± ¡°¡­which would mean it had memories from somewhere else?¡± She asked. ¡°Yes.¡± He said. ¡°The only reason I know about Heaven is that I admired one of the products of this planet.¡± ¡°Products? There shouldn¡¯t be any products from here, no?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I meant the champion candidate¡ª¡± Elias caught himself. ¡®Shit.¡¯ A glance at Desippe¡¯s face told him nothing. ¡°I apologize. You mentioned your parents were killed by them.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°No need.¡± She said, letting out a breath. ¡°It is normal to lose family in this world.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Besides, why do you think the clan didn¡¯t just bury you underground or something?¡± Elias blinked. That was¡­ blunt. ¡°I doubt that your regeneration would save you from that.¡± ¡°¡­because you want me to do something for you?¡± ¡°Well, yes. But other than that, we respect strength.¡± ¡°You do know I¡¯m barely Tier Two, right?¡± ¡°We do indeed.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°You like that word, don¡¯t you?¡± She grinned. ¡°We don¡¯t only respect one type of strength.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still lost here¡­¡± ¡°I meant your resolve.¡± She said. ¡°We were hunting you with an overwhelming advantage in numbers. Yet you fought.¡± ¡°I mean¡­ I can just regenerate¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t seem like you blocked any of the pain, though.¡± She said with a deep look at his eyes. It made him shiver¡ªmaking him feel vulnerable. ¡°Anyway,¡± Desippe broke eye contact and turned upward. ¡°with your preparations done, we can now begin with your mission.¡± Elias exhaled, forcing away the lingering unease. ¡°Alright. What¡¯s the mission?¡± She turned toward him with a wide grin. ¡°Something painful.¡± 1.12 - Into the unknown Elias sighed, already regretting this. "Of course it is." Desippe chuckled. ¡°Oh, come now. You¡¯ve been through worse, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Not the point,¡± he muttered. ¡°Just tell me.¡± She motioned toward the canopy, where two elders were already waiting¡ªone of them, a familiar visage. ¡°Remember what Elder Rhyx researched?¡± ¡°¡­something about odd things?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± She nodded. ¡°You will be helping with them.¡± ¡°Does that mean¡­?¡± He asked incredulously. ¡°Yes. You will be working directly under the Elder.¡± He sighed, dragging a hand down his face. ¡°Great.¡± She smirked. ¡°Glad you¡¯re excited.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it that.¡± He glanced up at the canopy, where Elder Rhyx stood watching. ¡°He really creeps me out.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have much of a choice.¡± ¡°I know¡­¡± He said, shaking his head. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get going then.¡± Desippe grinned, fangs flashing. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit, human.¡± Then she and the rest of the chucklers suddenly shot off into the canopy, leaving him alone. He watched them swing and hop from branch to branch, before turning to Primus and saying. ¡°Well bud, guess we¡¯re gonna have to catch up somehow¡­¡± He paused and looked around, only to see a stone platform being lowered from a pulley system. ¡°Guess we¡¯re taking that.¡± With that, the human and golem duo stepped onto the platform, ascending into the heart of the treetop village.
¡°A dungeon?!¡± Elias stared at Rhyx, waiting for him to say just kidding. Maybe crack a dry, unsettling joke. Something. Anything. Rhyx just met his gaze, unblinking. ¡°¡­You¡¯re serious,¡± He muttered. The elder gave a slow nod. He exhaled. ¡°Alright. I have questions. First, why is there a dungeon here? From what I remember of this planet, there aren¡¯t supposed to be any dungeons.¡± Rhyx clasped his hands behind his back, his tone eerily calm. ¡°That is what we believed as well. Until around a month ago.¡± The other elder, the one Elias didn¡¯t recognize, finally spoke. His voice was deep, rough like stone grinding against itself. ¡°A rift appeared. Deep in the jungle. It is not the same as the records.¡± Elias frowned. ¡°So¡­ it''s not a dungeon?¡± ¡°Not exactly.¡± Rhyx¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°We think it was one originally¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªBut something odd happened to it.¡± The other elder interjected. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Rhyx brought his hands up to his temples and massaged them. ¡°Brother¡­¡± The other elder grinned, clearly enjoying himself. ¡°What? I¡¯m helping.¡± Rhyx exhaled slowly. ¡°Elias, meet Elder Myrin. He¡¯s in charge of scouting.¡± Elias gave Myrin a once-over. The elder was leaner than Rhyx, but his presence still carried weight¡ªlike a coiled predator. His grin, though? That was the grin of someone who found amusement in the suffering of others. ¡®Fantastic. Another one.¡¯ He forced a tight smile. ¡°Pleasure.¡± Myrin¡¯s grin widened. ¡°Oh, it will be.¡± He immediately turned back to Rhyx. ¡°So, about this rift thing?¡± If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Myrin clapped him on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re going inside to investigate!¡± ¡°Of course I am.¡± He didn¡¯t even turn his head. ¡°And by investigate you mean?¡± Myrin¡¯s grin returned. ¡°Figure out if it wants to kill us all.¡± ¡°Great.¡± Desippe from behind him, finally said. ¡°It will be a good experience for you, human.¡± He just sighed and exchanged a glance with Primus off to the side¡ªnot that the golem could return one. ¡°That¡¯s comforting.¡± Myrin grinned. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit.¡± Rhyx, as unreadable as ever, just said, ¡°We leave at dawn.¡±
The group arrived at the border¡ªwhere the normal, lush green forest abruptly gave way to something else. The trees ahead were pale, their leaves sickly and curled inward. Roots coiled in unnatural spirals, moving and shifting¡ªmaking the ground look as if it was breathing. Elias stopped at the edge, taking it all in. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ definitely not normal.¡± Myrin, standing beside him, grinned. ¡°Oh, it gets worse.¡± He exhaled, rubbing his temples. ¡°Of course it does.¡± They walked deeper into the twisted forest. Things got worse and worse. Leaves completely rolling into themselves. Tree trunks becoming almost translucent. Roots writhing and actively trying to get close to them. All attacks were stopped by Rhyx with his control of the earth, while Myrin stuck close to the Matriarch. ¡®Huh. Now that I think about it, why is a Tier Two the Matriarch?¡¯ He kept his pace as he walked, eyes scanning their surroundings. The deeper they went, the more wrong it felt. Not just the trees. Not just the roots. But the air. It pressed against his skin, thick and heavy, like it was watching. Like the forest itself was waiting. Another root lashed toward them¡ªfast, almost intentional. Rhyx barely moved. A sharp pulse of mana rippled outward, and the earth responded. A jagged spike of stone erupted from the ground, skewering the root mid-air. It twitched violently before going still. Elias exhaled. ¡°That¡¯s normal, right?¡± Myrin grinned. ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Cool. Loving this place so far.¡± They kept moving. And yet¡ªhis mind drifted back to her. Desippe, walking calmly at the front of the group. She hadn¡¯t lifted a finger. Hadn¡¯t needed to. Even the trees¡ªthe things that shouldn¡¯t be alive¡ªseemed to avoid her. That didn¡¯t make sense. ¡®Why is a Tier Two the Matriarch?¡¯ The thought wouldn¡¯t leave him. Strength ruled here. That much was clear. Desippe wasn¡¯t weak, she was even much stronger than him, but compared to Rhyx? Compared to Myrin? The power gap was obvious. And yet, they followed her. Respected her. ¡®Why?¡¯ ¡®Isn¡¯t Myrin supposed to be the scout?¡¯ He frowned. ¡®Why¡¯s he acting like a bodyguard?¡¯ He glanced at Rhyx. ¡°So¡ª¡± He said, trying to sound casual. ¡°Not to pry, but¡­ Desippe.¡± Rhyx¡¯s didn¡¯t even glance over. ¡°What about her?¡± Elias gestured vaguely. ¡°You know. Tier Two. Matriarch. Doesn¡¯t really make sense with you guys around.¡± Myrin barked a laugh. ¡°Oh, I like him.¡± Desippe kept walking. Didn¡¯t even turn. ¡°And what do you think, human?¡± He hesitated. He could take a guess. Maybe it wasn¡¯t raw strength. Maybe it was politics. Maybe it was some bloodline thing¡ªwhich seemed most likely since she was the only one with the white streaks on her fur. But none of those felt right. So, instead, he said, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Desippe finally glanced at him. There was something sharp in her gaze¡ªsearching. Then, she smiled. ¡°Good.¡± He blinked. ¡°Stop.¡± Rhyx¡¯s voice echoed out. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Elias turned¡ªand froze. The rift wasn¡¯t just a tear in reality. It was wrong. Dungeons were disturbances in space¡ªthey usually looked like a spherical distortion that kept on collapsing in on itself. But this was far, far, far, from that. It pulsed like it was alive. And with each rhythmic beating, it expanded ever so slightly. He looked to the others and saw that the Matriarch had already retreated a few meters from them. Myrin was at her side¡ªwithout his usual grin. Looking over at Primus that silently reciprocated¡ªhe felt a tad bit safer. He exhaled, turning back to the rift and calmed himself. ¡°Okay. So. How do we do this?¡± Myrin shrugged. ¡°You and the big guy walk in.¡± Elias shot him a look. ¡°That would be straight up suicide.¡± Rhyx ignored them, kneeling near the rift, running his fingers along the broken ground. ¡°It¡¯s not stable.¡± Desippe nodded. ¡°We send in the human first.¡± He threw up his hands. ¡°Why is that always the answer?!¡± Myrin chuckled. ¡°Because you don¡¯t die properly.¡± ¡°That may be true but¡ª¡± Desippe crossed her arms and eyed him. ¡°You¡¯ve hesitated at every step, human. So tell me¡ªare you afraid?¡± He felt a vein pop in his head. ¡°OF COURSE I¡¯m afraid!¡± His voice rising. ¡°A Tier Two and a pair of Tier Threes would rather send a human they barely know to investigate something that is definitely out of his depth than actually doing the job themselves!¡± His voice echoed through the twisted clearing, and for a moment, no one spoke. Then¡ª Myrin laughed. A full-bodied, genuine laugh, not his usual entertained chuckle. ¡°Oh, I really like him.¡± Elias clenched his fists. ¡°Glad someone¡¯s enjoying this.¡± Rhyx, still crouched by the rift, finally looked up. ¡°We¡¯re not sending you in because we can¡¯t handle it.¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°Then why?¡± Desippe, unfazed by his outburst, spoke plainly. ¡°Because this rift.¡± She said pointing at it, then at him. ¡°And you are both anomalies.¡± He blinked. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Rhyx stood, dusting his hands off. ¡°Because of the tendency for essence to merge here, we need to be cautious of what we kill.¡± He looked him in the eye. ¡°While you, on the other hand, can somehow resist it.¡± ¡°You not being completely immune to it and being able to regenerate even your soul is perfect for this.¡± Desippe said. ¡°Once you come out, we¡¯ll be able to see what kind of effects the essence of anything inside has.¡± Elias opened his mouth. Closed it. Then threw up his hands. ¡°So I¡¯m just the test dummy.¡± Desippe smiled. ¡°You¡¯re catching on.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± He groaned. ¡°I hate it here.¡± Primus, ever silent, stepped forward. Elias sighed. ¡°Fine. But if I die¡ª¡± ¡°You probably won¡¯t.¡± Desippe interjected. ¡°¡­Fine, but you have to answer at least THREE of my questions when I come out.¡± ¡°It will depend on what you find.¡± Sighing again, he nodded. Elias inhaled slowly, steadying himself. He glanced at Primus. ¡°Alright, big guy. Ready?¡± The golem didn¡¯t respond. Taking one last look at the others¡ªRhyx watching, Myrin grinning, Desippe unreadable¡ªhe exhaled. Then, with a single step, he walked into the rift. And the world collapsed. 1.13 - Gulp Darkness. Elias steadied himself, shaking off the lingering disorientation from the dungeon¡¯s entrance. His body still hummed with residual energy, the telltale aftershock of a spatial shift. He looked around and saw Primus standing tall a few meters in front of him, its exposed core and sub-cores glowing in that faint blue light¡ªever so slightly illuminating its immediate surroundings. It was looking at him as if awaiting his orders. With a slow exhale, he reached for their connection. A gentle tug for a silent command. Without delay, the golem walked closer to him¡ªleaving only a few feet of distance. He flexed his fingers, his mana stirring. Metal surged over his hands, molding into something familiar. Heavy. Solid. Reliable. The only weapons he trusted with his lack of experience in fighting. His mace-hands. He rolled his shoulders, adjusting to the weight. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s do this.¡± Another gentle tug at their connection, and Primus led the way forward. Elias followed, moving cautiously as they marched deeper into the dark. The air grew heavier with every step, thick with an eerie stillness that pressed down on his chest like an invisible weight. Their footsteps echoed¡ªhis light, Primus¡¯s heavy. The faint blue glow of the golem¡¯s core barely pushed back the darkness, revealing only jagged stone walls and a floor coated in a thin layer of dust. No signs of life. No markings. Nothing. It looked like a fairly normal cave¡ªexcept one thing. He clenched his fists. It was too quiet. With a thought, he activated his [Mana Sight] hoping to catch a trace of something¡ªanything¡ªbut the void around them swallowed his efforts. A cold shiver crawled up his spine. It wasn¡¯t just dark here¡ªit was empty. [Mana Sight] should have revealed something. Traces of residual energy, flickers of life from bugs, even the faint flow of ambient mana. But there was nothing. The mana was still. Suddenly, something echoed from deeper in. TAP TAP TAP Elias froze. He hurriedly ordered Primus to stop and be on guard. Pouring his focus on his skill, he looked intently ahead. Scanning the darkness for whatever was making that noise. The sound came again. TAP TAP TAP Closer this time. He strained his eyes, but all he could see were the stone surfaces. Even Primus¡¯s glow failed to reveal anything of note. His breathing slowed. He listened. For a few tense moments, there was nothing. Just silence. Then¡ª Movement. Not from ahead. From above. Elias barely had time to react before a sudden weight crashed onto his back, slamming him face-first into the cold stone. He lifted his head, only to see eight thick legs that tapered into a sharp point surrounded him. A low, clicking chitter filling his ears, reverberating through his skull. His breath hitched. A spider. A massive one. Instinct kicked in. Mana flared inside him as he tried to roll over to face it¡ªbut before he could, needle-like fangs pierced his shoulder. A searing burn shot through his body as venom surged into his veins. His muscles locked up instantly, a cold paralysis spreading from the wound. His breathing hitched¡ªhis body refused to move. The spider tightened its grip, pressing him into the stone. Its chittering grew louder, reverberating through his skull like nails against glass. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. BOOM Primus struck. A massive fist slammed into the spider¡¯s side, sending it skidding across the floor. The fangs ripped free from his shoulder, tearing flesh in the process. Freed from its grip, Elias rolled onto his back, gasping through clenched teeth. His arm throbbed violently, but there was no time to focus on the pain. He forced himself upright just as the spider steadied itself. It was fast. Already, it had flipped back onto its legs, mandibles clicking in agitation. The chitin on its side now caved in and sporting a few cracks. A thick, dark fluid oozed out of the wound, but the monster didn¡¯t falter. It lunged. He reacted, diving sideways to just barely avoid its charge. Its massive bulk crashed into the stone where he¡¯d just stood, sending cracks splintering across the ground. Dust and debris filled the air as the creature skittered, reorienting itself unnaturally fast. ¡®Annoying ass¡ª¡¯ He hissed in pain, his arm burning from the venom, his muscles sluggish, but he couldn¡¯t stop moving. If he did, he was dead. "Primus!" The golem didn¡¯t hesitate. It lunged forward, swinging a colossal fist. The spider jumped toward him, avoiding a direct hit¡ªbut that was fine. Elias was hoping to close the distance anyway. He swung his mace-hand with everything he had, aiming for the cracked section of chitin. CRUNCH The impact landed clean, widening the wound. The spider let out a shrill, ear-piercing screech, its front legs flailing wildly as it staggered back. Elias pressed his advantage. He had to finish it fast¡ªbefore the venom took full effect. His vision blurred. His pulse thundered in his ears. One more hit. Primus led the charge with another massive hook. But the spider wasn¡¯t done. Its eight eyes glanced at the golem, then quickly locked back onto him before it leaped. His heart lurched. The creature soared over Primus, avoiding another crushing blow. Its massive shadow loomed over him, its mandibles twitching violently¡ªready to tear into him. Time slowed. His body was too sluggish to dodge¡ªand much too slow to actually hit it mid-air. But there was one thing he could do. His mana stirred. He activated [Quick Imbue] skill, applying a temporary Impact rune on his right mace¡ªdraining over sixty percent of his mana. An expensive price for a rune, but [Quick Imbue] was worth it for emergencies. Elias then dropped low and punched the ground with all his strength. The rune immediately activated and broke¡ªreleasing all of its effects in the time it took to blink. A forceful shockwave blasted outward, propelling him backward just as the spider came crashing down where he had been. Its fangs slammed into the cracked floor instead of his flesh. ¡®Now.¡¯ Elias gritted his teeth, channeling every last bit of his strength into a counterattack. He twisted mid-air, forcing his sluggish limbs to obey, and swung down with all his might. CRACK His mace-hand collided with the spider¡¯s head, caving in part of its exoskeleton. The creature screeched, its legs spasming wildly as it staggered¡ªbut it still wasn¡¯t dead. Not yet. ¡°Primus! Smash it!¡± The golem surged forward. BOOM A massive fist caved in the spider¡¯s abdomen, sending a spray of thick black ichor across the chamber. The monster convulsed¡ªlegs curling inward¡ªbefore finally collapsing with a sickening thud. Silence. Then¡ª |Ding! You have killed [Windswept Jumper Arachnid (II) ¨C Level 145]!| |Ding! You have absorbed 1% of the enemy¡¯s essence!| |Ding! [Mana Sight] (UC) has leveled up!| |23 => 24| |Ding! [Quick Reflexes] (C) has leveled up!| |1 => 11| |Ding! [Quick Imbue] (UC) has leveled up!| |2 => 4| He staggered. His knees buckled, and for a moment, he nearly collapsed¡ªbut sheer willpower kept him standing. His body wasn''t listening. His breath came in ragged gasps, his muscles sluggish from the venom. His regeneration was fighting to purge it, but against a Tier Two''s poison, it was like trying to put out a wildfire with a cup of water. TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP More were coming. ¡®Fuck. I don¡¯t have time for this.¡¯ He needed an antidote. Fast. Through blurry vision, Elias forced himself to focus on the spider¡¯s corpse. High-tier monsters always had valuable materials, and if he was lucky¡­ He forced out a hoarse command. ¡°Primus¡ªcheck the body.¡± The golem obeyed, stepping forward and tearing into the carcass with its massive hands. Chitin cracked, revealing the soft innards beneath. Dark ichor pooled on the dungeon floor, releasing a foul, acidic stench. His clenched his jaw, scanning the remains. His mind raced. Spiders carried venom. Venom glands could be refined into antidotes. But that took time he didn¡¯t have. His gaze darted to the spider¡¯s abdomen, where the venom sac should be. If it hadn¡¯t ruptured during the fight¡­ There. A swollen, dark green organ, glistening with toxic fluid. He didn¡¯t hesitate. He reached in with his left hand and yanked the sac free. Pain flared in his wounded shoulder. His vision dimmed for a second, but he pushed through it. He had one shot at this. Venom could kill. But with his adaptation skill¡ªthough temporary¡ªhe could gain a buff that could help him resist it at the very least. He tightened his grip on the venom sac, pressed it against his bleeding wound¡ª ¡ªand squeezed. A burning wave of agony surged through his body. His muscles locked up. His jaw clenched so hard it nearly cracked his teeth. But he didn''t let go. The venom seeped into his bloodstream, mixing with what was already there. His regeneration kicked into overdrive, his entire body flaring with unnatural heat as it tried to counteract the fresh poison. Then¡ª |Ding! Temporary buff [Partial Resistance (5%)] gained!| Elias collapsed to his knees, panting. The worst of the paralysis faded. His limbs were still heavy, his body weak, but he could move. And right now, that was enough. He exhaled and shakily pushed himself up. ¡°¡­I hate spiders.¡± Primus stood beside him, motionless, waiting. Elias wiped the sweat from his forehead. He could move, but the buff would disappear eventually. TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP ¡°¡­I really hate that I have to do this.¡± He said, eyeing the rest of the venom. TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP They were getting closer. He didn¡¯t hesitate anymore and brought it up to his mouth. TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP A glance at Primus showed his jealousy of him being made of stone. But he refocused on the venom and closed his eyes. GULP 1.14 - Youre next Elias staggered but forced himself to his feet. His body was still sluggish, his vision swam, and the venom was burning through his system like wildfire. But he couldn¡¯t stop. TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP The clicking of legs against stone sent a shiver down his spine. They were hunting him. Some were probably already eyeing him¡ªwaiting for him to collapse or let his guard down. He wouldn¡¯t give them the satisfaction. With a ragged breath, he forced mana into his limbs, dulling the worst of the pain. His regeneration was working overtime, but it wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up if he didn¡¯t give his adaptation time to work on the poison. His eyes darted to the dead spider¡¯s corpse. The legs. A crazy idea formed in his mind. A stupid, reckless idea. With a flex of his will, he activated [Material Shaping] and spread the metal over his hands further up his arms¡ªeffectively covering all the way up to his shoulders. He left his elbows bare for better mobility. TAP TAP TAP TAP The skittering grew louder. He barely had time to react before a small spider lunged at him from the side. Instinct took over. He dove toward the toward the corpse and reached for one of its long legs. With a firm pull, he snapped it off, turning it into an improvised spear. But he barely had time to react when the spider slammed into him¡ªits two front legs piercing into his stomach. The impact sent him skidding across the stone floor, but he twisted mid-slide, jamming the jagged end of the severed leg straight into the creature¡¯s side. A sickening crunch followed. The spider shrieked, its legs spasming wildly as black ichor gushed from the wound. It thrashed, trying to pull away, but Elias drove the spear deeper, twisting it with every ounce of strength he had left. |Ding! You have killed [Windswept Jumper Arachnid (I) ¨C Level 98]!| He wrenched the leg free just as another shape lunged at him. He ducked, barely avoiding a snapping pair of mandibles. Too many. Too fast. His heart pounded as he darted back, positioning himself near Primus, who stood motionless¡ªwaiting for a command. ¡°Fight.¡± He growled through clenched teeth. The golem moved instantly. Its massive stone fist caught an incoming spider mid-leap, slamming it straight into the ground. A wet crack echoed through the chamber as its exoskeleton shattered beneath the impact. TATATATATATA More shadows crawled down the walls and from up ahead. Elias gripped his makeshift spear tighter. His breath was uneven, his muscles screamed in protest, but he forced himself to stand his ground. They weren¡¯t giving him time to recover. The poison was still in his system. His limbs felt heavier by the second. ¡®Come on! Adapt!¡¯ But there was no response to his pleas. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ A large spider dropped from the ceiling, mandibles clicking. He lunged first, throwing all his weight forward. The sharp point pierced one of its eyes, almost going through to its brain, but it jerked backward in a panic¡ªbringing the spear along with it. The spider screeched as it eyed him. But he wasn¡¯t done. He grabbed hold of his mana and guided it toward his legs, giving them a small boost. Elias exploded forward, his enhanced legs propelling him toward the wounded spider before it could recover. It shrieked, legs flailing wildly, but he was already moving. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. He grabbed the makeshift spear with one hand and pulled it free, black ichor oozing out of its eye. The moment the spear left its skull, the spider lurched forward, its remaining eyes burning with rage. He didn¡¯t hesitate. Thrusting the spear forward with all his strength to meet the spider¡¯s mouth. CRUNCH The spider convulsed, its mandibles snapping violently as it impaled itself deeper onto the spear. Elias braced, forcing it in until the tip punched through the back of its head. |Ding! You have killed [Windswept Hunter Arachnid (I) ¨C Level 124]!| The mana in his legs quickly dissipated after being used¡ªmaking his legs shake in weakness¡ªbut he ignored it. TATATATATATA Elias yanked his weapon free, breath ragged, muscles burning. His vision blurred for a second¡ªthen refocused as a notification flashed. |Ding! You have adapted!| |Ding! Temporary buff [Partial Resistance (10%)] gained!| ¡®10%? That¡¯s it?!¡¯ He clenched his jaw. He could still feel the venom gnawing at him, still feel the weight dragging him down. It wasn¡¯t enough. Not yet. TATATATATATA The skittering was too close now. he barely had time to process his frustration before three more spiders surged forward¡ªone from the ceiling, two from his flanks. No time. He shifted his stance, weight on his back foot, and gripped his makeshift spear tighter. The first spider dove from above. He sidestepped, whipping the spear upward¡ªimpaling it in its underbelly. The black ichor running down the spear, onto his hands and showering him in it. |Ding! You have killed [Windswept Hunter Arachnid (I) ¨C Level 113]!| Before he could celebrate the kill, the two spiders from his flanks attacked in unison. Elias twisted, bringing his arm up just in time to block a lashing leg. The impact rattled through his bones, but he held firm. The second spider lunged¡ªits fangs aimed for his throat. A massive stone fist slammed into its side. BOOM. Primus. The golem crushed the spider mid-air, sending its broken body hurtling into the darkness. A glance at it¡ªcovered in black sludge and multiple dents in its stone body¡ªtold him everything he needed to know about his situation. ¡®I¡¯m fucked.¡¯ Elias exhaled sharply, refocusing on the last spider that attacked him. He lifted his spear¡ª But then the ground shook. A deep, resonant chittering echoed from the tunnels beyond. Much louder and heavier than any he¡¯d encountered. Then¡ª A massive silhouette emerged from the darkness. He swallowed hard, his grip tightening around his ichor-slick spear. His vision was still hazy from the venom, his muscles screaming at him to stop. But he knew¡ªif he stopped now, he was dead. Eight legs, each the size of tree trunks, chitin gleaming like obsidian. Its body was laced with pulsing red veins, dripping with the blood of its own kin¡ªand its eyes¡­ There were too many. Not just eight. Dozens. Small, beady orbs clustered together, shifting, blinking in a sickening rhythm. ¡°Fuck.¡± With a quick pulse of [Identify] he was even more repulsed at the monstrosity staring at him. |Windswept Broodmother (II) ¨C Level ???| He froze. The pressure in the air was suffocating. The Broodmother towered over him, its grotesque body twitching as if barely containing its own monstrous hunger. His [Identify] skill had failed to reveal its level¡ªwhich only happened when something was at least over a hundred levels more powerful than him. Elias tightened his grip on his spear, every instinct screaming at him to run¡ªbut where? There was no escape. The Broodmother¡¯s mandibles clicked together, a deliberate, mocking sound. Then it screamed. A piercing, mind-rending shriek rippled through the chamber, vibrating through stone, flesh, and bone alike. His knees nearly buckled, and his eardrums felt like they would burst. |Ding! You are affected by [Queen¡¯s Screech]!| |Ding! Status Effect: [Fear] (50%)¡ªReflexes slowed, reaction time delayed.| His vision wavered, his limbs turned sluggish. ¡®no. No. NO.¡¯ The skittering grew violent. The remaining spiders went berserk, throwing themselves toward him with rabid, mindless aggression. Their movements no longer coordinated. Primus shifted, preparing to intercept¡ª But Elias was already moving. He forced the last of his mana through his veins, ignoring the fire in his muscles, ignoring the fear constricting his lungs. He needed to move¡ªor he was dead. Worse, he¡¯d be their buffet forever. The Broodmother shifted. Its colossal front legs slammed into the stone where he had stood seconds before, cracking the cavern floor like brittle glass. He barely avoided the Broodmother¡¯s crushing blow, but he didn¡¯t escape unscathed. The smaller ones were already on him, needle-like fangs piercing into his skin, anchoring themselves as they pumped in venom and tore at his flesh. He gritted his teeth as pain ripped through him. The venom burned like molten iron in his veins, his muscles locking, limbs growing heavier. More spiders latched onto him, their needle-like fangs burrowing deeper. His vision blurred, sweat mixing with the sticky ichor coating his skin. He could feel his body slowing down, each movement a struggle. He was drowning in them. Primus moved to help, its massive stone fists crushing smaller spiders in bursts of broken chitin and black sludge. But even the golem was slowing. The damage was rapidly piling up. Elias¡¯s thoughts spiraled. His body screamed for rest. His mind told him he was finished. Then¡ª |Ding! You have adapted!| |Ding! Temporary Trait [Poison Body] gained!| |All mana available for the next 10 minutes will be directed to upkeep!| His body ignited with unnatural heat. The venom coursing through his veins stopped burning¡ªinstead, it merged with him. Fueling him and the temporary trait. The spiders latching onto him twitched violently, their bodies spasming as they came into contact with his blood. One of the smaller ones let go abruptly, legs curling inward as it convulsed, black ichor bubbling from its mouth. Another dug its fangs deeper¡ªonly for its chitin to crack, its insides liquefying as if its own poison had backfired. Then the next. And the next. And the next. Elias¡¯s hazy vision sharpened. His limbs were still heavy, but no longer sluggish. He could feel himself regaining his lost strength¡ªeven with the fear still in effect. ¡°Perfect.¡± He said. Then glanced over at the Broodmother. The creature twitched, her many eyes adjusting. ¡°You¡¯re next motherfucker.¡± 1.15 - Swallowed whole Elias cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders as the last of the lesser spiders twitched and collapsed, their bodies writhing before going still. His newfound resistance was still stabilizing, but he didn¡¯t have time to wait for it to fully settle. The Broodmother clicked her mandibles again. A low, deliberate chitter that carried across the cavern like a war drum. ¡°Ooookay.¡± He huffed, tightening his grip on the ichor-slick spear. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± The colossal arachnid took a slow step forward, her legs sinking slightly into the ground from her own weight. Cracks spread from the impact. He could feel the reverberation in his bones. Then she lunged. He barely had time to react before one of her monstrous legs swept toward him like a battering ram. Agony erupted in his leg as his thigh was sliced open. His blood sprayed in wild arcs¡ªsplattering across the ground and staining the massive limb. TSSSS A sizzling sound echoed in the cave as his blood came into contact with the Broodmother¡¯s chitin. The monster shrieked. A piercing, ear-splitting wail that made his skull feel like it was about to split open. The cavern walls trembled, loose stones crumbling from the ceiling as the massive creature recoiled, her colossal limb twitching violently where his blood had touched it. Elias staggered back, chest heaving, gripping his makeshift spear tight enough that his knuckles turned white. His leg burned, every movement sending fresh jolts of pain up his spine, but he forced himself to stay upright. His blood hurt her¡ªthough not as much as the smaller spiders¡ªit was good enough. A slow, wicked grin spread across his face. The Broodmother stilled. Her beady, clustered eyes locked onto him with newfound focus, her body shifting as it adjusted its stance. She looked at him in a new light. One with more caution. Respect. Maybe even a hint of fear. The cavern fell into a tense silence. The Broodmother no longer twitched in pain. No blind rage. No frenzied assault. She was thinking now. Elias tightened his grip on the ichor-slick spear, his breathing still uneven. His leg throbbed, his muscles ached, and his mana reserves were nonexistent due to the trait¡ªbut none of that mattered. He needed to act. He glanced at the dent-ridden Primus. It was still operational, but was barely holding together. That was all that mattered. ¡®Just one hit.¡¯ He thought as he came up with an idea. The Broodmother moved first. Slow and deliberate this time. He tugged at his connection with the golem¡ªsending his instructions. The command was simple. Distract. Primus twitched, its battered form barely holding together, but it obeyed. The golem lurched forward, its heavy stone limbs dragging across the cavern floor, each movement more robotic and unnatural from accumulated damage. The Broodmother¡¯s clustered eyes flickered toward it, mandibles clicking in agitation as its focus shifted to the bigger target. ¡®Good.¡¯ He forced his breathing to steady as he brought the spear down to his leg wound¡ªcoating it in his blood. The black ichor on the spear hissed and melted away as his blood replaced it. Elias glanced over at the monster and saw it shift, her massive legs clicking against the stone as she adjusted her stance. She was watching Primus, but she wasn¡¯t committing¡ªnot yet. He had to give her an opening. Another tug at their bond and the golem stopped mid-step. Its movements jerkier and more strained than earlier¡ªas if it was struggling to move. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. It trembled in its place, shaking so much as if it could collapse at any second. The Broodmother¡¯s mandibles twitched. A few of her eyes glanced at him¡ªsaw that he was still some distance away¡ªthen focused back on the golem. Without any warning¡ªshe charged. The moment she did, he exploded forward to close the distance. Primus raised its arms just in time to block the sharp legs. The impact was thunderous, shaking the entire cavern. Cracks spiderwebbed across its arms, fractures deepening from the sheer force¡ª Then they shattered. Its arms exploded into hundreds of fragments as the monster¡¯s massive limbs continue on to its body. But Elias was already close behind her. He didn¡¯t hesitate. With every ounce of his strength left, he jumped up high with the blood-soaked spear¡¯s tip pointing down as he descended onto its back. With all his weight behind it and his blood softening the chitin, the weapon punched through the chitin, sinking deep into the soft tissue beneath her armored plating. TSSSSSSSS The cavern echoed with the sickening sound of her insides burning. The Broodmother let out an ear-piercing wail. Her entire body seizing as his blood spread inside her. The reaction was instant. Her legs spasmed, slamming into the ground wildly, gouging deep trenches into the stone floor. She wildly thrashed about¡ªtrying to throw him off¡ªbut he held firmly onto the spear. The Broodmother¡¯s movements grew more frantic, more desperate. Her colossal legs slammed into the walls, sending splintering cracks racing through the cavern¡¯s stone. Elias gritted his teeth, muscles screaming as he clung to the embedded spear. His blood was working. He could feel her body breaking down from the inside, the venomous reaction eating through flesh, sinew, and bone. But it wasn¡¯t fast enough. ¡®FUCK!¡¯ He frantically looked around¡ªhoping to see something, anything, that would give him an idea of what to do. But there was noth¡ª Suddenly, the monster¡¯s massive frame lurched backward, slamming into the cavern wall with bone-rattling force¡ªknocking the air out of his lungs, his grip faltering as he nearly lost hold of the spear. His vision blurred for a second, the impact sending a fresh wave of agony through his battered body. ¡®No!¡¯ He tightened his grip on the spear, forcing his fingers to hold on despite the numbing pain spreading through his arms. The Broodmother wasn¡¯t done. She lurched again, her massive weight grinding him against the stone like she was trying to smear him into the wall. ¡°AGHH!¡± Elias screamed in pain as he held on for dear life. He could hear her insides melting and the chitin softening under the effects of his blood. But he needed more. His mind raced. ¡®THINK!¡¯ Then¡ªhis eyes snapped to the spear. Then¡ªto his arms. An idea slammed into him like a jolt of lightning. ¡®FUCK IT!¡¯ Elias ripped the spear free¡ªthen drove it back in. The spear punched through softened chitin, stopping just before it hit the deeper flesh. That was all he needed. He repeated it two more times¡ªmaking a hole as big as his fist. Then, with one fluid motion, he sliced his wrist open¡ªimmediately plunging it deep into the hole. TSSSSSSSSSSS The moment his blood flooded into the Broodmother¡¯s body, the reaction was immediate. Her entire form spasmed violently, her legs seizing, slamming against the stone with mindless, twitching force. Cracks tore through the cavern walls as she convulsed, her massive frame jerking, writhing, breaking itself apart. He could feel her body liquefying from the inside out. Muscle fibers snapping and bones cracking under their own weight¡ªhe felt it all. The blood loss was getting too much for him as his vision blurred¡ªbut he forced himself to stay awake. The massive spider suddenly let out one last gurgling screech¡ªa sound of rage, agony, and pure, animalistic fear. Then¡ª Her entire body collapsed. The cavern floor split beneath her, stone shattering from the sheer weight of her corpse crashing down. Elias yanked his arm free just in time as he pushed himself off. He stumbled back, barely able to stay standing. His vision wavered, his breath ragged. His right arm dripped with a mix of his own blood and the steaming remains of the Broodmother¡¯s liquefied insides. |Ding! You have slain [Windswept Broodmother (II) ¨C Level 197]!| |Ding! You have completed the Dungeon [Windswept Nest (II++)]!| |Rewards ready to be claimed!| |Ding! Achievement! You have cleared your first Dungeon! Bonus rewards available!| |Ding! Achievement! You have cleared your first Anomaly! Bonus rewards available!| |Ding! You have absorbed 1% of the enemy¡¯s essence!| |Ding! You have leveled up!| |Ding! You have leveled up!| |Ding! You have leveled up!| |Ding! You have leveled up!| |Ding! You have leveled up!| |Ding! You have leve¡ª He ignored the flood of notifications as he focused on the massive surge of essence entering his body. One percent. A curse, a shackle, a burden. He could kill a hundred monsters and barely inch forward. But this¡­ this was different. The weight of it hit him like a tidal wave. This was the first time he¡¯d felt it so vividly. For a brief second, his vision wasn¡¯t his own. He saw flickering images¡ªwebs, nests, eggs. A hunger that wasn¡¯t his. And something else that felt foreign even to the Broodmother. Then¡ªgone. Like a whisper in his mind. He exhaled¡ªa breathless, shaky laugh. Then his legs gave out. He hit the cavern floor hard, his vision dimming, fading. The last thing he saw was the lifeless husk of the Broodmother turning transparent¡ªthen melting into the cavern floor. He tried to stay awake¡ªto see what exactly was happening¡ªbut it was futile. Before he knew it, darkness swallowed him whole. 1.16 - Sufferings gifts Elias woke up with a hammer and chisel in his hands. He was mid-swing when he stopped and looked around. ¡°What¡ª ¡° Then it hit him. The familiar custom grip on the tools. The carved walls and half-finished sculptures. The faint scent of freshly treated wood in the air. This was his workshop. ¡°The fuck am I doing back here?¡± He muttered, squinting at the room in suspicion. ¡°I thought the goddess already fixed this¡­¡± He lowered his tools on the nearest table and walked around. The walls were just as he remembered¡ªetched with carvings that bore his father¡¯s influence. Every stroke, every detail, brimming with passion for the beauty of life. It made his chest tighten. But he felt it. Something was missing. ¡°Why am I dreaming again?¡± He asked to no one in particular. But there was only silence. He turned back to where he just came from¡ªthe sculpture that was a third of the way done. It was one of the commissions he received from a relatively new guild. A sculpture that buffed the recovery rate when at rest. He examined it closer, running his fingers across its grooves, trying to piece together when this happened. Images flashed in his mind of that time when he remembered. ¡°Right. If this is here, then¡ª" Elias turned and walked out of the workshop, already knowing what he would find behind the far door. A separate room. A familiar space. And inside¡ª Tobias Stone. His father. His broad frame was hunched over a block of darkwood, carving knife in hand, gently working the grain with the kind of patient, deliberate care that he¡¯d spent years trying to imitate. His sleeves were rolled up, his usually neat hair slightly disheveled. He swallowed hard. ¡®I remember.¡¯ Tobias didn¡¯t look up immediately, too focused on the piece in front of him. The steady flow of his knife, along with his casual way of shaping the wood was captivating. Then he paused. "You¡¯re holding your breath again." He said without looking up. Elias blinked. He hadn¡¯t even realized he was. He let out a slow exhale. "Am I?" His father huffed in amusement, finally turning to him. The familiar sharpness of his gaze softened with something knowing. "You always do when you¡¯re thinking too hard." Elias scoffed but didn¡¯t argue. Instead, he glanced at the piece his father was working on¡ªa simple, elegant carving of a crest. "You always make it look so easy." He said. Tobias smirked. "That¡¯s because I¡¯ve had a few more years of practice than you." He set his knife down, stretching his fingers. ¡°Besides, you¡¯re getting better at a much faster pace than I was.¡± Elias snorted. "Could¡¯ve fooled me." His father leaned back in his chair, studying him for a moment. ¡°How¡¯s the sculpture for the uhhh¡­ what was that guild called again?¡± ¡°¡­The Shadow Blood Dragon Reapers of Eternal Doom.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­that¡¯s certainly¡­ something.¡± Elias held Tobias¡¯s gaze for a moment before his lips twitched. It started as a quiet chuckle from his father, a restrained amusement that quickly grew into a full, rumbling laugh. He couldn¡¯t help it and lost it too, his own laughter spilling out, shaking his shoulders as he leaned against the doorframe. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it "The Shadow Blood Dragon Reapers of Eternal Doom?" Tobias wheezed, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. "Who names these things?" Elias gasped for air between laughs. "I¡ªI don¡¯t know! But they paid well, so I wasn¡¯t about to question it!" His father snorted, shaking his head as he leaned back in his chair, eyes crinkling with amusement. The laughter faded, but the warmth remained, settling into something quieter. Comfortable. Familiar. Home. Elias wiped the tears in his eyes as he calmed down. ¡°I missed th¡ª" But as he finished and looked to his father, he¡¯d disappeared. Slowly, everything else started to fade. The edges of the room began to blur. The scent of the wood started fading. Tools on the nearest work bench disappearing one by one. ¡®No. Not yet!¡¯ His breath hitched as he frantically tried to look for his father. He knew what this was. He knew what had to happen. ¡°Just a bit more time!¡± The world unraveled. Elias gasped, his eyes snapping open. The workshop was gone. The scent of wood replaced by the cold, heavy air of the cavern. The weight of his body sinking into rough and damp ground. He was back. Alone. His chest ached, his fingers curling into the dirt beneath him. He forced a slow breath, steadying himself. ¡°Fuck.¡± He muttered. He sat there for a long moment, staring at nothing. Trying to process what he¡¯d just experienced. A quick glance at his status told him that the blessing from the goddess was still there. There was also no change in the status of his corruption. ¡®How?¡¯ He tried to make sense of it all, but the only thing he could think of was the merging of essences¡ªwhich would make some sense¡ªbut he wondered how it worked. Elias shook his head, and tried not to think about it. He had rewards to claim after all. He first checked his body out and made sure that he was fully healed, then took stock of all his level ups. |Ding! You have slain [Windswept Broodmother (II) ¨C Level 197]!| |Ding! You have absorbed 1% of the enemy¡¯s essence!| |Ding! [Material Shaping] (R) has leveled up!| |38 => 42| |Ding! [Focus] (R) has leveled up!| |39 => 44| |Ding! [Journeyman Sculptor (R)] has leveled up!| |1 => 3| |Dex +6, Will +6, Int +4| |Ding! [Mana Manipulation] (UC) has leveled up!| |22 => 29| |Ding! [Mana Sight] (UC)has leveled up!| |23 => 30| |Ding! [Mana Efficiency] (UC) has leveled up!| |2 => 6| |Ding! [Quick Reflexes] (C) has leveled up!| |11 => 26| |Ding! [Apprentice Enchanter (UC)] has leveled up!| |5 => 11| |Wis +12, Will +12, Int +6| |Ding! You have leveled up!| |60 => 78| |90 free stat points gained!| Elias exhaled, letting the flood of notifications wash over him. ¡®1% essence absorption.¡¯ Not much in the grand scheme of things, but with the amount of spiders he¡¯d killed directly and indirectly through Primus¡ªnot to mention the Broodmother herself, it was still a massive amount. ¡®Which might explain the weird shit with my memory skill¡­¡¯ He thought, but then refocused. The skill gains were significant. Material Shaping, Mana Manipulation, Mana Sight¡ªall vital tools, all pushing him further. Quick Reflexes had more than doubled, and his crafting-related abilities had surged. But the biggest gain? Eighteen levels. His hands flexed instinctively. Ninety free stat points at once was a massive windfall that he had to think carefully on where to allocate. He didn¡¯t know when he¡¯d get so much at once after all. With a deep, and calming breath, he pondered. With the seven main stats, what he didn¡¯t need were Wisdom and Constitution. His passive mana absorption skill effectively doubled his mana regeneration and any addition he could make to his Constitution was negligible at best. What he needed was everything else. Strength for more power, Will for more control, Intelligence for more mana, and some Dexterity for better reflexes. Elias exhaled as he looked at the screen. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s do this.¡± Stats |Finalize distribution?| |Yes/No| ¡°Yes.¡± Power surged through his body the moment he confirmed the allocation. His muscles burned for a second, then settled in the next, like they¡¯d been reforged into something denser. His mind sharpened as if a section of fog was cleared in his mind. He flexed his fingers, feeling their improved nimbleness. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s the stuff¡­¡± He almost shook in pleasure when the residual energy left his body. But he wasn¡¯t done yet. His eyes flicked over to the notifications that were left. |Ding! You have completed the Dungeon [Windswept Nest (II++)]!| |Rewards ready to be claimed!| |Ding! Achievement! You have cleared your first Dungeon! Bonus rewards available!| |Ding! Achievement! You have cleared your first Anomaly! Bonus rewards available!| His lips twitched. ¡°These better be good with all the shit I went through¡­¡± First things first¡ªcompletion reward. Select Your Reward: ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Announcement and new Milestones!!! Hello hello! I''m proud to announce that there is now more than 1 advanced chapter on Patreon!!! Yes this is an achievement for me since readers from my previous fic know that I never had any advanced chapters before hahaha Now, since I have 2 patrons, I decided to get the advanced chapters up to 5 first (which should be complete 24hrs from now) and opened up a 3$ temporary tier for anyone who wants to read ahead. This tier will probably be removed tho once the 5$ tier is filled up so do keep that in mind! I''ll resume uploads on RR once the 5 advanced chapters are complete which I assure you will be done today. I''m free. Not sick. Feeling fresh. And ready to write like a crazy person! hahaha Don''t worry about the missed chapters btw since I''ll be writing extra hard to catch up and get those up too. Right now we''ve got 2 from last week and 3 this week¡ªnot counting the bonus chapters. A total of 5 that will be up on Patreon by the end of March 20. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Chapter 17 and 18 are already up and 19 is halfway done btw. Chapter 18 is titled "Control" if anyone''s curious.
Now for the new milestones! Followers: 896/1250 = 1 bonus chapter Favorites: 158/225 = 1 bonus chapter Patreon milestone: 2/50 = a permanent 5 chapters a week for RR and 10 for Patreon (since I did plan to drop to a 3 a week schedule after we get off RS) We also have 2 milestones that I never wrote down but we achieved anyway! Top 10 RS = 1 bonus chapter Surpassed my previous fic in followers = 1 bonus chapter A bit unlikely but if we get into the top 7 and hang out there for like a day or 2, I''ll owe you guys another bonus chapter!
To clarify, I''ll be resuming uploads on RR at 7:24 pm EDT, March 20 (apparently you guys had that daylight savings thing recently?) and have already scheduled the chapter for it. Link to my Patreon is in the author''s note and so is my discord! Join the discord for further updates or if you just want to hang out! Or maybe you want to ask me some questions and clarifications on some things. Maybe you want to give me a bit of tough love even? Join now! 1.17 - A changed man Elias eyed the reward screen, scratching his jaw. He looked at the choices like he was picking fruit at a market. ¡°Hmmm. Dagger¡¯s out.¡± He said as he read through its description. A poison dagger would have normally been great, but in a world where there were beasts as strong as Tier Five, forcing himself to get up close and personal would be worse than suicide. ¡°Yeah, definitely out.¡± His eyes then drifted over to the spear. ¡°Simple. Straightforward¡­ but I can probably make something like it.¡± He paused. ¡°¡­would just be a little worse though.¡± Shaking his head, he didn¡¯t hesitate anymore and picked the bracers. The screen flashed as he made his choice, and the matte black bracers materialized in front of him with a muted hum. They didn¡¯t have glowing runes, no jagged spikes, no wow factor. They just floated in front of him and slowly rotated. They were almost underwhelming¡ªuntil he put them on. The moment they latched on, he felt his mind sharpen. He moved his arms around experimentally. The bracers moved with him like a second skin, light enough to forget about, solid enough to remind him they were there. |Ding! [Chitinous Bracers (R)] equipped!| ¡°Perfect!¡± He exclaimed, then eyed the next notification. |Ding! Achievement! You have cleared your first Dungeon! Bonus rewards available!| Select one bonus reward: Elias squinted at the screen, already thinking ahead. ¡°Okay¡­ Compass is good for not dying lost. Rune¡¯s good for not dying to something huge. Crystal¡¯s good for not dying tired.¡± He rubbed his jaw. ¡°I¡¯m sensing a theme here.¡± He eyed the Rune a second longer¡ªthe boost to boss damage was tempting, especially with how close the Broodmother fight had gotten. But one-time use? ¡°Nope. Not worth it.¡± His gaze drifted to the crystal. Extra mana for emergencies, with a bonus AOE knockback? ¡°You¡¯re it!¡± He selected the Mana-Storing Crystal, and a small, hexagonal gem dropped into his palm, faintly pulsing with energy. A simple leather cord looped through it¡ªworn like a necklace or strapped to gear. |Ding! [Mana-Storing Crystal (R)] acquired!| Elias grinned. ¡°Okay. Time for the last one!¡± |Ding! Achievement! You have cleared your first Anomaly! Bonus rewards available!| Select one bonus reward: Elias let out a low whistle as he scanned the screen. ¡°Now THAT¡¯S a reward!¡± He tapped his fingers against the Mana-Storing Crystal, the gem warm in his palm, then glanced back at the options. Immortal¡¯s Respite. Practical. Let him think while kind of dead. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Would¡¯ve been great while I was in that nebula¡­ but I¡¯m not really planning on dying again anytime soon.¡± His eyes then shifted to the Sculptor¡¯s Tool. The customization, the precision buff¡ªit was tempting. He could already imagine the possibilities, the finesse, the sheer control it¡¯d give him over his work. But his eyes were repeatedly drawn to the last option. ¡°Significant increase¡­ and a chance to breakthrough.¡± Aside from a larger storage capacity for creation mana, the third law stage¡ªSpark¡ªwould enable him to create things made of two elements at once. Which at first, didn¡¯t sound impressive, but it gave him access to compounds¡ªor more importantly, alloys. With furrowed brows, he squinted at the last option. ¡°It¡¯s gonna hurt.¡± He was still Tier One. The last time he comprehended the second stage of the Law of Creation; his soul literally fell apart. Remembering that pain was not fun. ¡°It¡¯s gonna fucking hurt.¡± He cursed again. ¡°So much¡­¡± He stared at the screen, fingers twitching, heartbeat slow and steady¡ªfor now. The sensation of being unmade¡ªnot just physically, but at the soul level¡ªwas unlike anything else. No wound, no torture, no death even compared to the raw, tearing agony of a Law comprehension that his body and soul weren¡¯t ready for. His hands clenched instinctively, knuckles pale. Last time was an accident. And yet here he was, considering to experience the pain out of his own free will. He slowly exhaled. Elias knew it was what he was going to choose. But he still hesitated. ¡°Is it worth it?¡± He muttered. Flashes of what he¡¯d be able to do ran through his mind¡ªbut one thing in particular popped out at him. A reforged Primus. He glanced over at the big guy. Now an armless, dent-ridden, practically falling-apart stone golem. It stood tall behind him with its core still faintly pulsing. Weak, sure. But still very much alive. ¡°Yeah. Fuck it.¡± Without further hesitation, he looked back at the reward screen and selected the Seed. It materialized in front of him. A small, multicolored sphere that cycled through colors nonstop. For a moment, he hoped that he¡¯d be able to take it out of here and absorb it somewhere else. |Ding! You have gained the [Seed of Creation]!| |WARNING! Must either be absorbed immediately or stored in a specialized container!| ¡°Well¡­ can¡¯t say I¡¯m surprised.¡± He sighed. Elias stared at the orb, watching it shift between colors like it couldn¡¯t decide what it wanted to be. Typical. No luxury of preparation. No time to brace. No time to breathe. Just go. He reached out, fingers brushing the surface of the Seed. It was warm, vibrating with a pulse that didn¡¯t match his own¡ªfaster, more erratic. Like it was alive. Like it was waiting. He took one last breath, steady and slow, then clenched his teeth. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get this over with.¡± And he popped the Seed into his mouth. His pulse spiked. His vision blurred. Then the pain began.
Outside, the trio of high-level chucklers patiently waited. The clearing around the dungeon was unnaturally still. No wind. No birds. No life. Just the low, ever-present hum of corruption leaking from the cracked dungeon entrance¡ªthe kind of mana that made the air taste like rust and ozone. Rhyx kneeled near the edge of the clearing and pressed his fingers into the dirt. He sifted through the soil, dark and clumped with decay, then brought it up to his face and inhaled deeply. ¡°Fascinating¡­¡± He murmured. Behind him, Myrin lounged on a jagged stone, one leg dangling over the edge. He lazily tossed a rock into the air, catching it with the same easy rhythm of someone with too much time and too little concern. ¡°Please don¡¯t start tasting the dirt again.¡± Rhyx ignored him. ¡°The dungeon seems to be calming down. I think he¡¯s just about done in there.¡± Myrin smirked. ¡°Think he¡¯s alive? Or are we collecting pieces?¡± Rhyx didn¡¯t look back. ¡°Anomalies don¡¯t behave like normal dungeons. Time¡¯s different in there. He could be fighting. Or sleeping. Or¡­ decomposing.¡± Myrin¡¯s grin widened. ¡°I vote decomposing.¡± Another ripple of corrupted mana oozed from the entrance, weak and unfocused. Not the blast of a battle. Not the death pulse of a core collapse. Just... noise. Myrin caught his rock mid-air and pointed it lazily toward the portal. ¡°You¡¯d think with all that drama, we¡¯d get a show.¡± Desippe stepped into the clearing before either of them sensed her arrival. The atmosphere shifted immediately. The air grew heavier, thicker, as if holding its breath. Shadows seemed to draw toward her, eyes locked on the dungeon. Neither Rhyx nor Myrin spoke. Not at first. Desippe came to a stop a few steps from the entrance, silent. Myrin finally broke the stillness. ¡°It¡¯s been a few days now¡­¡± Desippe¡¯s voice was quiet. ¡°He¡¯s not dead.¡± Rhyx blinked, brow raised. ¡°You¡¯re certain?¡± ¡°I would feel it.¡± A pause. Rhyx straightened, brushing dust from his hands, thoughtful. ¡°You really think he¡¯s worth the risk?¡± Desippe didn¡¯t look back. ¡°I think he¡¯s already dangerous. One way or another.¡± Myrin snorted. ¡°Spoken like someone who doesn¡¯t mind cleaning up a corpse.¡± Desippe¡¯s eyes narrowed, but her tone didn¡¯t shift. ¡°If he dies, that¡¯s the end of it. If he lives¡­ then we might just get off this accursed planet.¡± Suddenly, the dungeon pulsed. The corrupted mana shuddered violently, rippling out from the entrance like a shockwave. The ground trembled¡ªnot enough to unbalance them, but enough to snap Myrin upright, the rock slipping from his fingers. Rhyx¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°That wasn¡¯t just ambient decay.¡± Cracks spread from the edges of the dungeon¡¯s mouth, light¡ªpure, searing light¡ªforcing its way through like it was trying to escape. A low hum built into a sharp whine, and then¡ª Silence. A moment later, Elias staggered out with Primus close behind him. His eyes were red, his face clearly haggard. Black ichor covered his hair and some parts of his body. Every step he took was shaky at best, but he didn¡¯t fall. He exhaled, slow and ragged. His gaze lifted and met theirs. Myrin whistled. ¡°Well shit. He lived.¡± Rhyx smiled faintly. ¡°Barely.¡± Desippe said nothing. But her eyes narrowed. Watching. Calculating. And then¡ªjust for a moment¡ªshe smiled too. ¡°Something¡¯s different about you.¡±